Election Script - Screenplay

Swing on back to Drew's Script-O-Rama afterwards for more free movie scripts!

     [ A freemoviescripts/simplyscripts production ]
    
     ELECTION SCRIPT by Alexander Payne & JIM Taylor
     
     Third Draft July 22,1997
     
     Based on the novels by Tom Perotta
     
     
     EXT. MILLARD HIGH -- DAWN
     
     The school stretches out before us, slumbering in the overcast morning 
     air.
     
     Along the front sidewalk, a lone JANITOR trundles a garbage bin filled 
     with overstuffed hefty bags.
     
     A weathered FORD ESCORT pulls into the empty PARKING LOT and comes to 
     a stop near the athletic field.
     
     A TEENAGE GIRL'S VOICE -
     
                              TRACY (VO) 
               None of this would have happened if Mr. 
               McAllister hadn't meddled the way he 
               did.  He should have just accepted 
               things as they are instead of trying to 
               interfere with destiny.  You see, you 
               can't interfere with destiny.  That's 
               why it's destiny.  And if you try to 
               interfere, the same thing's going to 
               happen anyway, and you'll just suffer.
     
     JIM MCALLISTER, a teacher in his mid to late-thirties, emerges from 
     the car in running clothes and carrying a briefcase, gym bag, and 
     coffee mug.  On his way to the field, he crosses paths with the 
     janitor.
     
                              JIM
               Morning, Lowell
     
     Lowell nods, hoists a bag and tosses it into a dumpster.
     
     EXT. ATHLETIC FIELD -- DAWN
     
     JIM CIRCLES THE TRACK, sweating and panting.
     
     ON THE GROUND JIM does sit ups
     
                              JIM
               Twenty-one... twenty-two.
     
     He collapses onto his back.  His head rolls to one side, and he 
     glances past the fence at --
     
     THE PARKING LOT
     
     Where a second CAR is just arriving.  JIM watches as TRACY FLICK, a 
     junior, and her MOTHER get out.
     
     The mother helps remove a CARD TABLE and a big plastic sack from the 
     trunk before Tracy heads toward the school.
     
                              MOTHER
                         (distant)
               Good luck!
     
     JIM turns his gaze toward the sky, closes his eyes, sighs.
     
     INT.    BOYS'    LOCKER   ROOM   --   DAY
     
     Naked in the showers, JIM pumps liquid soap from the wall- mounted 
     metal dispenser.
     
     INT.   HILLARD   HALL  DAY
     
     THE LEGS OF A CARD TABLE - as Tracy spreads them open and locks them 
     into place.
     
     STICKS OF GUM from a Plen-T-Pack are emptied into a FISHBOWL-
     
     SCOTCH TAPE is wrapped around the end of a pen to attach a piece of 
     string
     
     INT. BOYS' LOCKER ROOM     DAY
     
     AT THE MIRROR
     
     JIM adjusts the knot of his tie, notices a little shaving cream in his 
     ear.
     
     INT. MILLARD HALL     DAY
     
     FOUR CLIPBOARDS  with pens and lined sheets of paper are being placed 
     in a row like little soldiers. The top of every sheet reads "Tracy 
     Flick for President: Official Nomination Signatures."
     
     INT. FACULTY LOUNGE -- MORNING
     
     AT THE REFRIGERATOR
     
     JIM tries to place his lunch inside, but the shelves are too crammed 
     with old take-out containers. He opens one and smells it. Disgusted, 
     he drags a garbage can over and begins throwing things away.
     
     Lowell appears in the doorway wheeling his squeaky maintenance cart 
     and watches JIM conduct his purge as A CHINESE FOOD BOX misses the can 
     and rolls on the floor.
     
     INT. MILLARD HALLWAY -- DAY
     
     Tracy is seated behind her card table strategically placed near the 
     school's main entrance.  A sign taped to the wall behind her reads, 
     TRACY FOR PREZ.  SIGN UP FOR TOMORROW, TODAY!  She checks her watch, 
     readies herself.
     
     JIM walks around the corner whistling vaguely.
     
                              TRACY
               Good morning, Mr. McAllister.
     
                              JIM
               Not wasting any time, are you, Tracy?
     
                              TRACY
                         (chirping)
               You know what they say about the early 
               bird.
     
                              JIM
               Yes, I do.
     
     An awkward moment passes between them.
     
                              JIM
               Well, good luck there, Tracy
     
                              TRACY
               Thanks, Mr. M.
     
     AS JIM turns and walks away, Tracy watches him.  He stops and picks up 
     some litter, tosses it in a nearby garbage can.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               No matter what he says, Mr. McAllister 
               had it out for me from the start.  Oh 
               sure, he was all smiles and good wishes 
               and everything, but underneath he was 
               just as unfair and petty as anybody 
               else.
     
     INT. JIM'S CLASSROOM     DAY 
     
     Alone in his room, JIM studies the Omaha World-Herald
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D) 
               He'll probably tell you how committed 
               he was to teaching and democracy and 
               integrity and all. Don't be fooled.
     
     After laying the paper down to circle an article, JIM leans back in 
     his chair and momentarily loses himself in thought.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               It's hard to remember how the whole 
               thing started, the whole election mess. 
               What I do remember is that I loved my 
               job. I was a teacher, an educator, and I 
               couldn't imagine doing anything else.
     
     Suddenly a VOICE --
     
                              VOICE (OS)
               Hey, Mr. M. Mr. M.!
     
     JIM glances OUT THE WINDOW and sees a kid -- PAUL METZLER -- pointing 
     at him. Paul walks with a LIMP. Behind him, other STUDENTS approach 
     the school.
     
                              PAUL
               Stop daydreaming! Get back to work!
     
     JIM enjoys the affectionate joshing and gives the kid  a wave. He 
     returns to his newspaper, a contented man.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               The students knew it wasn't just a job 
               for me.
     
     EXT. MILARD HIGH FOOTBALL STADIUM     -- NIGHT 
     
     JIM sits in the bleachers, clapping his  hands  over his head.
     
                              JIM
               C'mon, wolverines!  Defense!  Let's 
               hold 'em back!
     
                              JIM (VO)
               I got involved. And I cared.
     
     INT. MILLARD GYM    DAY  AT A PEP RALLY -
     
     JIM is dressed as a WESTERN VILLAIN, and his black hat reads "Lincoln 
     South." With a menacing grimace he approaches a group of FOOTBALL 
     PLAYERS at a poker table.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               And I think I made a difference.
     
     A CORNER OF THE SCHOOL    DAY
     
     JIM has a comforting hand of the shoulder of a CRYING GIRL
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               I knew I touched the students' lives 
               during their difficult young adult 
               years, and I took that responsibility 
               seriously.
     
     INT. AUDITORIUM -- NIGHT 
     
     JIM trots up the stairs to receive a plaque. He beams.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               In the twelve years I taught U.S. 
               History, Civics and current Events at 
               Millard, I was voted Teacher of the Year 
               three times - a school record.
     
     INT. JIM'S CLASSROOM -- DAY
     
     Mr. McAllister reads aloud from the newspaper as he paces in front of 
     his class of high school juniors, Tracy Flick among them. The seats 
     are arranged in a SEMI-CIRCLE.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               Standing in front of a room full of 
               young people, trying to make them think 
               that's how I wanted to spend the rest 
               of my life,
     
     JIM slaps the newspaper for emphasis and addresses the class
     
                              JIM 
               So would this be an ethical situation 
               or a moral situation? What's the 
               difference between ethics and morals, 
               anyway?
     
     Tracy shoots her hand into the air.  JIM notices but keeps looking 
     around.
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               Anybody
     
     Other hands rise tentatively
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               Derek
     
                              DEREK
               Uh, ethics is like when you, uh, do 
               what society tells you is right and 
               morals are like, uh...
     
                              JIM
               You're on the right track,  who can 
               help him out?
     
                              DEREK
               ..morals are when...
     
     Tracy's hand goes higher.
     
                              JIM
               Michelle?
     
                              MICHELLE
               Morals are like lessons, you know, like 
               the moral of a story; it's what you 
               learn from a story or a fable or 
               something. . .
     
                              JIM
               Or a life experience.  Good.  And 
               ethics?
     
                              MICHELLE
               That's more like, urn... Ethics is how 
               you use the morals... that you learn 
               from a story?
     
     JIM weighs the answer, tries to be encouraging.
     
                              JIM
               Okay.  But we're still missing 
               something key here.  What are we 
               missing?
     
                              TRACY
                         (hand still raised)
               I know.
     
                              JIM
                         (finally)
               Tracy.
     
                              TRACY
               Ethics are...
     
     FREEZE FRAME on Tracy, her hand lowering, her mouth agape.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               Tracy Flick.  Tracy Flick.  I've never 
               met anyone quite like Tracy Flick.
     
     INT. STUDENT COUNCIL ROOM -- DAY -- ONE YEAR PREVIOUS
     
     JIM sits to one side, monitoring the student council MEETING about to 
     convene.  A younger Tracy enters briskly and, unlike her casual teen 
     comrades, has made an attempt to dress for success.  She takes a seat 
     right up front and opens her backpack.
     
     After preparing her notepad and pen, Tracy puts a MICROCASSETTE 
     RECORDER on the table in front of her and pushes RECORD.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               She first showed up in my life as a 
               freshman delegate in student council. 
               I'd seen a lot of ambitious students 
               come and go over the years, but I could 
               tell right away Tracy Flick was 
               different.
     
     JIM observes Tracy, trying to size her up.
     
     ON TRACY -- putting all her little things in order, finally folding 
     her hands to wait.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               It wasn't long before everyone knew who 
               Tracy Flick was.  She made sure of that.  
               Her drive was astonishing.  Even scary.
     
     A FAST-PACED MONTAGE BEGINS UNDER TRACY'S VOICE-OVER:
     
     INSERT     HILLARD HIGH YEARBOOK It fans open to the INDEX.
     
     PAN DOWN to Tracy's name followed by countless page references
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               Some people say I'm an overachiever, 
               but I think they're just jealous.
     
     A page number turns BOLD, and the other numbers drop away
     
     Suddenly we are on that page, and we PAN to a headline: "Spanish Club 
     says Oh La!"
     
     PAN to the group shot and ZOOM in on Tracy smiling in a big SOMBRERO.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               My Mom always tells me I'm different -- 
               you know, special. And if you look at 
               all the things I've accomplished so far, 
               I think you'd have to agree.
     
     We see Tracy on other pages too: "Yearbook Staff goes for it!" "Junior 
     Achievers put on the dog!" "Student Council meets the challenge;" 
     Oklahoma's a hit!
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D) 
               Here I am in Oklahoma.
     
     The STILL of Tracy in Oklahoma suddenly COMES TO LIFE.
     
     INT. MILLARD HIGH AUDITORIUM     NIGHT
     
     On stage, Tracy wears a cowgirl outfit and hams it up with exaggerated 
     gestures.
     
                              TRACY
                         (off-key) 
               I'm just a girl who can't say no...
     
     TV INSERT/INT. CAFETERIA     DAY
     
     It's the closed-circuit school NEWS BROADCAST. Tracy is delivering a 
     stand-up report from the crowded cafeteria. Her dress and makeup are 
     an obvious if lame emulation of a professional newswoman.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               And here I am on KMHS, our student-run 
               TV station.
     
                              TRACY (ON TV)
               ..that's why Principal Hendricks made 
               the controversial announcement that the 
               littering must stop.  Tracy Flick 
               reporting.
     
     INT. STUDENT COUNCIL MEETING ROOM -- AFTERNOON
     
     A Student Council meeting is underway led by the president, LARRY 
     FOUCH.  A girl, ASHLEY, is speaking.  JIM observes from the side.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               But it was in SGA, the Student 
               Government Association, where I made my 
               biggest mark.  I never missed a meeting, 
               and I volunteered for every committee as 
               long as I could lead it.
     
     Before Ashley can finish, Tracy STANDS UP
     
                              TRACY
               I agree with Ashley.  We should rent 
               the barrels at least a day beforehand.  
               What happened last time was a travesty,  
               I mean, we were --
     
                              LARRY FOUCH
                         (trying to quiet 
                         her)
               Yeah, no, I know, Tracy.  That's why 
               we're -- Look, can we just take a vote 
               on this?
     
     INT.  JIM'S CLASSROOM     DAY
     
     BACK TO TRACY still frozen mid-sentence, waiting to finish her answer.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               Now at the end of her junior year, 
               Tracy was poised to win the presidency 
               of the student body.  And so far she was 
               running unopposed.
     
     TRACY COMES BACK TO LIFE
     
                              TRACY
               ...the rules of conduct determined by a 
               culture at a...
     
     SHE FREEZES AGAIN
     
                              JIM (VO)
               Oh.  There's one more thing about Tracy 
               I think you should know.
     
     INT.  MILLARD STAFF-ROOM -- DAY
     
     CLOSE ON DAVE NOVOTNY, another teacher in his mid-thirties  
     
                              DAVE
               Her pussy gets so wet you can't believe 
               it.
     
     WIDE -
     
     Dave is leaning across his desk to speak with JIM at an adjacent work 
     area.  They eat sack lunches.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               A few months before the election, she'd 
               had an affair with my best friend Dave 
               Novotny.
     
                              JIM
               Don't tell me that.  I don't want to 
               know that.
     
                              DAVE
               She's incredible.  Everything just gets 
               soaked.
     
     INT. JIM'S BASEMENT     DAY Dun-dun-DUN... Dun-dun-DUN
     
     JIM and Dave are playing the opening notes of "Foxy Lady" through 
     cheap, distorting amps. JIM plays bass. Dave plays guitar and sings 
     into a microphone. They're bad. As in not good.
     
     The basement is typical of a Midwest middle-class young couple -- half 
     storage and laundry, half makeshift roc-room.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               Dave came to Millard the year after I 
               did, and we hit it off right away. We 
               backed each other up in teachers' 
               meetings and shared an interest in 60's 
               music and micro-breweries.
     
     CLOSE ON DAVE really getting into it, playing to an unseen stadium. 
     Behind him JIM is very careful with his chords.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               You could tell Dave was one of those 
               guys who taught because they never 
               wanted to leave high school in the first 
               place, and that could get a little 
               irritating sometimes, but basically he 
               was a real good guy.
     
                              DAVE 
                         (singing)
               Foxy. . . Foxy. . . You know you're a 
               cute little heartbreaker... Foxy... You 
               know you're a sweet little love maker...
     
     CAMERA DRIFTS toward the stairs leading up.
     
     INT. JIM'S KITCHEN
     
     CAMERA DRIFTS from the open basement stairway door and toward DIANE 
     MCALLISTER and SHERRY NOVOTNY seated at the kitchen  table. They are 
     fussing over little six-month-old DARRYL NOVOTNY in his highchair.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               Our wives became best friends too. And 
               when Dave and Sherry's son Darryl was 
               born, they asked us to be godparents.
     
     At a particularly grating note from downstairs, Diane gets up and 
     closes the basement door.
     
     INT. GEOMETRY CLASS
     
     AN ISOSCELES TRIANGLE is being drawn on the blackboard and bisected. 
     PULL  OUT to reveal Dave explaining.
     
     The class is taking notes, and we zero in on a younger Tracy.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               YOU probably think the worst - that Mr. 
               Novotny was just taking advantage of one 
               of his students, but it wasn't like that 
               at all. Our relationship was based on 
               mutual respect and admiration. I mean, 
               during my sophomore year in geometry it 
               was strictly professional between us -- 
               I mean, nothing.
     
     EXT. GODFATHER'S PIZZA -- NIGHT The parking lot, the neon lights, the 
     promise of good times.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               It wasn't until junior year when we 
               worked together on the yearbook that 
               things got serious.
     
     INT. GODFATHER'S PIZZA -- NIGHT Dave and  Tracy are at a booth along 
     with six other students.
     
     TWO KIDS  DISSOLVE OUT OF FRAME,
     
     and the others shift positions. Others continue to disappear in the 
     same way, until only Dave and Tracy remain.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               One night he took us editors out to 
               celebrate after a deadline. Eventually 
               Dave and I were left alone and we got to 
               talking - not like teacher and student, 
               but like two adults.
     
                              DAVE
               You know, Tracy... I don't know how to 
               say this, but...
     
     Dave's finger traces the rim of his frosty root beer mug.
     
                              TRACY
               what?
     
                              DAVE
               Well, I notice you don't seem to have 
               any close friends at Millard. You seem 
               to be kind of a loner.
     
                              TRACY
               No, I'm not. I'm just really busy.
     
                              DAVE
               I know.  I know its not by choice.  I 
               just mean, well, being the kind of 
               person you are, it must be really 
               difficult to find someone you can talk 
               to.
     
                              TRACY
               What do you mean? What kind of person 
               am I?
     
                              DAVE
               What kind of person?
     
     Dave looks directly into her eyes.
     
                              DAVE (CONT'D)
               Tracy, I've been watching you for going 
               on two years now, and I think you are 
               one of the most talented, hard-working, 
               sensitive, attractive, brilliant 
               students -- no, human beings -- I have 
               ever met.  I mean, you're the real 
               thing.  Special.
     
                              TRACY
                         (embarrassed, low)
               Thank you.
     
                              DAVE
               And I know sometimes people like you 
               have to pay a price for their greatness, 
               and that price is loneliness.
     
     Tracy nods in quiet recognition.
     
                              DAVE (CONT'D)
               I don't know.  Maybe I'm wrong.  But it 
               seems like you might need a friend.
     
     INT. MILLARD YEARBOOK OFFICE -- DAY
     
     A DOOR with cloudy glass and a stenciled sign: YEARBOOK OFFICE.
     
     DISSOLVE through the door and TRAVEL through an empty room to discover 
     another door with a sign that reads DARKROOM.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               Since I grew up without a dad, you 
               might assume psychologically I was 
               looking for a father figure.
     
     DISSOLVE through the darkroom door to
     
     DAVE AND TRACY bathed in red light.  Tracy is sitting on Dave's lap as 
     they make out hungrily.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               But that had nothing to do with it at 
               all.  It was just that Dave was so 
               strong and made me feel so safe and 
               protected.
     
     INT. DAVE'S CAR -- DAY 
     
     Dave drives.  Tracy sits in the passenger seat.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               It was the first time somebody ever saw 
               the real me, the me that nobody else 
               knows.
     
                              DAVE
                         (looking around) 
               Here, get down.
     
     EXT. NOVOTKY HOUSE - DAY
     
     Dave wheels his car into the open garage.  The automatic door closes 
     behind him.
     
     INT. NOVOTHY LIVIMG ROOM
     
     Dave stands up from his squat at the STEREO, and the sexy sounds of 
     Sade set the mood.
     
     Tracy is seated awkwardly at one end of the sofa, a Diet Dr. Pepper in 
     one hand.  Dave walks slowly toward her, a sexy, knowing look in his 
     eye.  The music is sexy.  Tracy is sexy. He's sexy.  Keeping his eyes 
     locked on Tracy's, he takes the pop can from her hand and takes a sip 
     himself.  Sexy.
     
     INT.  NOVOTHY STAIRCASE     DAY
     
     Dave and Tracy walk up the stairs and down the hall.  Dave enters the 
     bedroom first, while Tracy pauses in the hall. His arm reaches out and 
     pulls her inside.
     
     INT. NOVOTNY BEDROOM     DAY
     
     IN QUICK TIGHT CUTS we see Dave and Tracy DISROBING
     
     Tracy's head and naked shoulders lay themselves on Dave's pillow.  She 
     looks toward the foot of the bed at -- DAVE, unable to believe his 
     eyes.  He looks at naked Tracy up and down, up and down, his breath 
     quickening.  Sade wafts up the stairs.
     
                              DAVE 
               Look at you.
     
     He descends out of frame.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               When I think back on my relationship 
               with Mr. Novotny, what I miss most. is 
               our talks.
     
     INT. DAVE'S BASEMENT     DAY 
     
     JIM is riveted by Dave's story; he is both horrified and titillated
     
                              JIM
               You did it at your house?  Your own 
               house?
     
                              DAVE
               Look, Jim...  Okay.  I know it all 
               seems crazy, and maybe it did start out, 
               you know, for the... for the sex and the 
               danger.  But now it's different.  Jim, 
               what I'm trying to tell you is that 
               Tracy and I are totally, totally in 
               love.
     
                              JIM
               In love?
     
                              DAVE
               Yeah, it's serious.  I mean she 
               inspires me in ways Sherry never has.  
               She even wants to read my novel.
     
                              JIM
               But you haven't written your novel.
     
                              DAVE
               That's the whole point. It's all in my 
               head; it's right here.  I just got to 
               get it out there. Tracy wants me to 
               write it so she can read it.  It's 
               beautiful.
     
                              JIM
               Dave, I'm just saying this as your 
               friend.  What you're doing is really, 
               really wrong, and you've got to stop.
     
     Dave draws a heavy sigh and buries his head in his hands perhaps JIM 
     has reached him.  Perhaps not.
     
                              DAVE
               You're not just jealous, are you?  I 
               mean, we both used to talk about her
     
                              JIM
                         (exploding)
               That was just talk!  Fantasy talk! What 
               are you, nuts?  We talk about girls all 
               the time, but it doesn't mean anything.  
               I would never. . . I mean, I take very 
               seriously our strict moral code.  The 
               line you've crossed is... it's illegal 
               and it's immoral.
     
                              DAVE
               I don't need a lecture on ethics, Jim, 
               okay?  I know what --
     
                              JIM
               I'm not talking about ethics.  I'm 
               talking about morals.
     
     CLICK.  SQUEAK.  STEP STEP STEP.
     
                              SHERRY (OS)
               Peek-a-boo!
     
     Sherry comes down the basement stairs with Darryl in her arms.
     
                              DAVE
                         (to Jim, 
                         whispering)
               Look, I appreciate your concern. I 
               really do.  But like I said, I got it 
               under control.
     
     As Sherry approaches them, Dave rises to take Darryl, the perfect 
     father:  hug, tickle, kiss.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               I guess I don't have to tell you how 
               all this turned out.
     
     INT.  PRINCIPAL HENDRICK'S OFFICE     DAY
     
     CLOSE ON DAVE slumped in a chair.  He is lost in agony: all he can do 
     is look down and draw short, gasping breaths.
     
     Principal Walt Hendricks is at his desk, examining a little BOOKLET.  
     JIM
     sits on the vinyl sofa.
     
     CLOSE ON -- the small makeshift booklet whose cover reads, "There's a 
     place for us" in overdone fancy cursive.
     
     THE SECOND PAGE shows a cutout from a travel magazine of a swanky 
     BEACHFRONT HOTEL.  One room has been circled with the words "you and 
     me" written next to it.  Below: "A time and place for us."  We HEAR 
     Walt clearing his throat, swallowing.
     
     THE THIRD PAGE has glued to it a POSTCARD showing a couple hand-in-
     hand on the beach at sunset and reading, "Maui is for lovers." Below: 
     Take my hand and we'll soon be there.
     
     THE LAST PAGE has a cutout of a bouquet of flowers.  It reads, "Tracy,  
     See you in paradise?  Love, your 'teacher' David.  P.S. I really, 
     really need you now."  The booklet is lowered.
     
                              DAVE
               Tracy's Mom -- she doesn't understand.
     
                              WALT
               No, I'd say she doesn't.  I don't think 
               I've ever seen a mother quite so upset.  
               We're all very, very lucky she doesn't 
               want this public.
     
     Dave looks at JIM for help. JIM looks away. Dave's breaths grow more 
     convulsive. Finally -
     
                              DAVE 
               But we're in love
     
                              WALT 
               Dave. Dave, look at me
     
     Dave looks slowly up.
     
                              WALT 
               I want you to get some help.
     
                              DAVE & SHERRY'S LIVING ROOM     NIGHT
     
     Sherry cradles Darryl while Dave grovels at her feet.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               After Dave got fired, Sherry kicked him 
               out of the house and filed for divorce.
     
                              SHERRY
               Your novel? Are you fucking kidding me?
     
     Dave follows Sherry as she takes the baby into their bedroom and slams 
     the door in Dave's face. Dave pounds on the door, eventually sinking 
     to his knees and crying.
     
                              DAVE
               Sherry   Sherry  Sheerrry. ...
     
                              JIM (VO)
               He ended up moving back to Milwaukee to 
               live with his parents. I haven't heard 
               from him in a long time. Poor guy. I 
               warned him.
     
     INT. JIM'S CLASSROOM -- DAY 
     
     Tracy, still frozen, THAWS OUT. Maybe now she can finish
     
                              TRACY
               ...certain time in history and
     
     RINGGGGG  Maybe not.
     
     At the bell, students instantly shut their textbooks and collect their 
     things.
     
                              JIM
               Okay.  We'll pick up here next time
     
     Tracy is miffed as she puts her things away: slam, stuff, zip. She 
     slings her backpack over her shoulder and heads toward the door.  She 
     looks back at --
     
     MR. MCALLISTER who himself now FREEZES as he talks to a couple of 
     students
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               Now that I have more life experience, I 
               feel sorry for Mr. McAllister.
     
     CLOSE-UP FROZEN DETAILS - of Jim's appearance - his slightly frayed 
     collar and bad tie; the heels of his old docksiders worn down at 
     irritating angles; the faded impression his too-big wallet has made in 
     his khakis; his growing bald spot; his ear hairs.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               I mean, anyone who's stuck in the same 
               little room saying the exact same things 
               year after year for his whole life, 
               wearing the same stupid clothes, while 
               his students go on to good colleges and 
               move to big cities and do great things 
               and make loads of money has got to be at 
               least a little jealous.  It's like my 
               room says - the weak always try to 
               sabotage the strong.
     
     Tracy turns and walks out the door.
     
     INT.  TRACY'S HOUSE -- DAY
     
     CLOSE ON A SMILING LITTLE TRACY - in a Sears-style portrait.  PAN 
     across a wall full of other framed photos of Tracy accepting awards, 
     dancing in a recital, poised to dive at a swim meet.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               One thing that's important to know 
               about me is that I'm an only child.  So 
               my Mom is really devoted to me, and I 
               love her so much.  She wants me to do 
               all the things she wanted to do in life 
               but couldn't.
     
     AT THE DINING ROOM TABLE
     
     Tracy's mother, BARBARA FLICK, finishes a letter and puts it in an 
     envelope.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               See, Mom used to be a stewardess for 
               Northwest and now works as a para-legal.  
               She likes to write letters to successful 
               women like Janet Reno and Elizabeth Dole 
               and ask them how they got to be where 
               they are and what advice do they have 
               for me, Tracy, her daughter.
     
     CLOSE ON BARBARA'S TONGUE as the envelope flap slides across it.
     
     INT. MILLARD HALLWAY     DAY
     
     A politician's SMILE plastered to her face, Tracy is at her card table 
     vigorously gathering signatures.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               Nine times out of ten they say you have 
               to hold on to your dreams no matter 
               what.  The pressures women face mean you 
               have to work twice as hard, and you 
               can't let anything or anyone stand in 
               your way.
     
     A shabbily dressed BURNOUT -- DOUG SCHENKEN -- walks past and grabs a 
     huge handful of gum.
     
                              TRACY
               One per person!  Put those back I
     
     John just keeps on walking away, and his two BUDDIES take great 
     delight in his nimble-witted, quick retort.
     
                              DOUG SCHENKEN
               Eat me
     
     INT. HILLARD LIBRARY -- DAY
     
     While other students sit in groups around her, Tracy sits apart at her 
     own table, concentrated and alone. She is writing little numbers by 
     her signatures.
     
                              TRACY
               Ninety-seven.. .ninety-eight.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               But you know,  winning isn't 
               everything.  If you play fair and follow 
               all the rules thoroughly, you'll always 
               come out ahead.  Win or lose, ethical 
               conduct is the most important thing.   
               Just ask Mr. McAllister.
     
     EXT. PARKING LOT -- DAY CLOSE ON TRACY'S EXCITED FACE
     
                              TRACY
               Mr. McAllister? Mr. McAllister! Wait up 
               I
     
     Jim, his tie loose and his sleeves rolled up, looks up from unlocking 
     his car.  Tracy runs toward him holding out a TERM PAPER FOLDER.
     
                              TRACY
               I got all my signatures.  One hundred 
               and fifty-eight -- way more than I need!
     
                              JIM
               Hey, that's super
     
                              TRACY
               Here they are.
     
                              JIM
               You can put those in my box.  I'll look 
               at them tomorrow.
     
                              TRACY
               Could you approve them now?  I'd like 
               to kick off my campaign right away, you 
               know, in the morning.
     
                              JIM
                         (resigned)
               Right
     
     He cursorily flips through the bound pages and offers them back to 
     Tracy.
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               Looks good to me.
     
                              TRACY
               Aren't you supposed to keep them?
     
                              JIM
               NO, that's fine
     
                              TRACY
               I thought you were supposed to keep 
               them.
     
                              JIM 
               Okay, fine. Sure
     
     JIM throws his briefcase and Tracy's folder into the backseat.
     
                              TRACY
               Thanks for everything.
     
                              JIM
               You bet.
     
     Tracy stays put as JIM climbs in, shuts the door and fastens his seat 
     belt.
     
                              TRACY
                         (cheery, awkward)
               I can't wait to start campaigning.
     
                              JIM
               Should be easy.  So far no competition.
     
                              TRACY
               Hell, you know, Coca-Cola's the world's 
               number one soft drink, but they spend 
               more money than anybody on advertising.  
               I guess that's how come they stay number 
               one.
     
                              JIM
               Yeah.  Okay.  well, good luck Tracy
     
     They exchange a long, curious stare.  There's a tone at once 
     confrontational and vaguely sexual about this moment.
     
                              TRACY
               You know, Mr. M., when I win the 
               presidency, that means you and I are 
               going to be spending a lot of time 
               together next year.  And I for one would 
               like that time to be harmonious and 
               productive. Wouldn't you?
     
                              JIM
               Sure
     
                              TRACY
               Okay. That's good. I just wanted to 
               make sure.
     
                              JIM
               Good luck, Tracy.
     
     JIM pulls away and heads for the parking lot exit.
     
     INT.EXT. JIM'S CAR ON STREET -- DAY
     
     JIM drives stone-faced, unblinking. Something about the music on the 
     radio mocks him.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               I don't blame Tracy for what happened 
               with Dave. How could I? Dave was an 
               adult more than twice her age.
     
     EXT. GROCERY STORE PARKIKG LOT     DAY 
     
     JIM pulls to a stop next to a giant DUMPSTER
     
     Out of his window come yellowed newspapers, balled-up fast food bags, 
     and other detritus. He speeds away.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               Sure, she got on my nerves once in a 
               while, but I admired Tracy. I really 
               did.
     
     INSIDE THE DUMPSTER we see Tracy's little bound book of signatures.
     
     INT. MCALLISTER DIKING ROOM - MIGHT
     
     JIM and his wife Diane sit at their dining room table, eating chicken 
     pot pies, baked potatoes with sour cream, salad with Lite Ranch 
     dressing. Not a word passes between them.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               Thank God for Diane.  She was my best 
               friend, my source of love and strength.  
               Oh sure, we'd had our share of bumpy 
               times, but we'd always seen them 
               through.  After nine years of marriage, 
               we were closer than ever.  And the 
               secret? Good communication.
     
                              DIANE
               Anything wrong?
     
                              JIM
               Everything's fine.  Just, you know, 
               school.
     
     INT. MCALLISTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
     
     JIM lies awake in bed while Diane snores beside him. Something seems 
     to be echoing in his head.
     
                              TRACY'S VOICE
               ...You know, Coca-Cola's by far the 
               number one soft drink... When I win the 
               presidency we're going to be spending a 
               lot of time together... a lot of time... 
               lots and lots and lots of time... 
               president and advisor. . .
     
     CLOSE ON JIM'S EAR as Tracy's LIPS magically whisper into it.
     
                              TRACY
               ...harmonious and productive... close 
               and special... you and I...  so close... 
               so intimate... together...
     
     INT. MCALLISTER BASEMENT     NIGHT
     
     In the darkness a light pops on, and JIM quietly pads down the stairs.
     
     He opens an old CEDAR TRUNK, lifts out a few blankets and a piece of 
     cardboard to reveal a row of PORNO TAPES cleverly concealed in the 
     bottom of the trunk.
     
     ON THE TV SCREEN -
     
     A FOOTBALL PLAYER in uniform and helmet filets a CHEERLEADER in a 
     locker room.
     
     JIM watches with detachment, as though watching the news.  He sips a 
     can of PEPSI.  The football stud continues to bump and grind.  Looking 
     at his Pepsi can, JIM is suddenly inspired.
     
                              JIM 
                         (quietly)
               Paul.
     
     EXT. SKI SLOPE (REAR PROJECTION) DAY
     
     PAUL METZLER is SKIING in goggles and scarf. Behind  him is a cheesy 
     dated rear projection of other skiers. Suddenly Paul loses his balance 
     and FALLS.
     
     CLOSE ON PAUL writhing in the snow.
     
                              PAUL
               Why. . . ? Why. . . ?
     
                              PAUL (VO)
               I was so mad at God when I broke my leg 
               at Shadow Ridge over Christmas break.
     
     INSERT X-RAY LIGHT BOX
     
     CLOSE ON AN X-RAY of a multiple FRACTURE.
     
                              PAUL (VO CONT'D)
               The doctors told me I'd have to quit 
               sports for at least a couple years if 
               not forever.
     
     INSERT     YEARBOOK PICTURE
     
     Paul kneels in his FOOTBALL UNIFORM. The photograph erupts in flames. 
     Bonanza-style.
     
                              PAUL (VO CONT'D)
               ...which meant no first-string 
               quarterback in the fall. It was like the 
               end of my life!
     
     EXT. MILLARD HIGH FRONT STEPS DAY
     
     Paul stands talking to FRIENDS in a very typical high school tableau. 
     All wear backpacks or carry books. A GIRL kneels to sign his cast.
     
                              PAUL (VO CONT'D)
               When I got back to school everybody was 
               so supportive, and they all wanted to 
               sign my cast and everything...
     
     EXT. MISSOURI RIVER LOCKOUT -- DAY Alone, Paul leans on his crutches 
     and watches the river
     
                              PAUL (VO CONT'D)
               ... but I still couldn't shake the 
               feeling that now my life had no purpose. 
               What did God want from me?
     
     THE VAST MISSOURI - always flowing, never stopping, no beginning, no 
     end
     
                              PAUL (VO CONT'D)
               Why did I exist?
     
     INT. LIBRARY DAY
     
     Paul is sleeping slumped over a table, his head cradled on crossed 
     arms. The Celestine Prophecy is open face down next to him.
     
                              PAUL (VO CONT'D)
               Sometimes you can search everywhere for 
               answers. Then one day destiny just taps 
               you on the shoulder. I know, because it 
               happened to me.
     
     A FINGER reaches down and taps Paul's shoulder. Paul comes to and 
     looks -- it's Mr. McAllister.
     
                              JIM
               Paul, could I talk to you for a minute?
     
     MILLARD HALLWAY - DAY
     
     His arm on Paul's shoulder, JIM walks Paul down a deserted hall and 
     into Jim's classroom. JIM picks up some scrap paper off the floor and 
     puts it in the proper place.
     
                              PAUL (VO)
               Mr. McAllister changed my life. And no 
               matter what they say he did or did not 
               do, I believe he is a good man.
     
     JIM'S CLASSROOM - DAY Paul sits in a chair, while JIM stands
     
                              JIM
               Paul, I know you've been pretty down 
               since your accident.
     
                              PAUL
               I wanted to play next year so bad I 
               could taste it.  And maybe go on to...
     
                              JIM
               I know.  I understand disappointment.  
               I really do.
     
                              PAUL
               Yeah.
     
                              JIM
               But you've got a big choice right now.  
               You can choose to be depressed about it 
               for the rest of your life. Or you can 
               choose to see it for what it really is: 
               an opportunity.  I personally think you 
               have a big future ahead of you, and I 
               don't mean the fleeting glory of sports.
     
                              PAUL
               What do you mean?
     
                              JIM
               Let me give you a clue.  You're a born 
               leader.  You're one of the most popular 
               students at Millard.  You're honest and 
               straightforward.  You don't choke under 
               pressure, as we all saw in that amazing 
               fourth quarter against Westside.  The 
               other kids look up to you.  What does 
               that spell?
     
     Paul furrows his brow and looks around, searching for an answer.  His 
     lower lip is wet.
     
                              JIM
               Student... council... president.
     
     It takes a moment for this to sink in.  Finally
     
                              PAUL
               Who, me?  Nooo.  I never... I don't 
               know anything about that stuff, Mr. M. 
               Besides, that's Tracy Flick's thing. 
               She's always working so hard and --
     
                              JIM
               Yeah, no, she's a go-getter, all right.
     
                              PAUL
               And she's super-nice
     
                              JIM
               Yeah.  But one person assured of 
               victory kind of undermines the whole 
               idea of a democracy, doesn't it? That's 
               more like a... well, like a 
               dictatorship, like we studied.
     
                              JIM
               Paul, what's your favorite fruit?
     
                              PAUL
               Huh?  Oh.  Uh... pears
     
                              JIM
               takes a piece of chalk from the lip of 
               the blackboard.
     
                              JIM
               Okay, let's say
     
                              PAUL
               No, wait -- apples.  Apples.
     
     JIM draws illustrative circles on the board as he speaks.
     
                              JIM
               Fine.  Let's say all you ever knew was 
               apples.  Apples, apples and more apples.  
               You might think apples were pretty good, 
               even if you occasionally got a rotten 
               one. Then one day there's an orange. And 
               now you can make a decision. Do you want 
               an apple, or do you want an orange?  
               That's democracy.
     
                              PAUL
               I also like bananas.
     
                              JIM
               Exactly.  So what do you say?  Maybe 
               it's time to give a little something 
               back.
     
     INT.    STUDENT   COMHON   AREA  DAY
     
     Tracy directs her friend ERIC OVERHOLDT on a ladder as he hangs a 
     large POSTER high on a wall.
     
                              TRACY
               The right side is too high. The right 
               side. Just a smidge.
     
     Suddenly she notices a small COMMOTION in the adjacent cafeteria and 
     goes to investigate.
     
     INT. CAFETERIA     DAY
     
     A small crowd of students compete to sign Paul's nomination petition 
     taped to the wall.
     
                              GUY 
                         (signing)
               Hey Paul, you going over to Anthony's 
               on Friday, or what did you decide?
     
                              PAUL
               I gotta talk to him first.
     
     Tracy watches the hubbub, none too pleased, and pushes her way to the 
     front of the group.
     
                              TRACY
               Who put you up to this?
     
                              PAUL
               Huh?  Oh, hi, Tracy
     
     Tracy stares at him.
     
                              TRACY
               Who put you up to this?
     
                              PAUL
               What do you mean?
     
                              TRACY
               You just woke up this morning and 
               suddenly decided to run for president?
     
                              PAUL
               No.  Uh... I just... you know, I just 
               thought --
     
                              TRACY
               Thought what?
     
                              PAUL
               Well, see, I was talking to Mr. 
               McAllister about my leg and 
               everything... and how I still want to, 
               you know, do something for the school 
               and --
     
                              TRACY
               So Mr. McAllister asked you to run.
     
                              PAUL
               Well, I mean, you know, I talked to him 
               and everything, but he just said he 
               thought it was a good idea... and how 
               there's all different kinds of fruit 
               and...  It's nothing against you, Tracy.  
               You're the best.  I just thought --
     
                              TRACY
               Okay, Mr. Popular.  You're on.
     
     With that Tracy turns and SIGNS Paul's sheet
     
     THE "I" IN "FLICK" is dotted with a STAR
     
     CLOSE ON TRACY'S FACE - as she walks away, Paul and his fans receding 
     behind her
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               You might think it upset me that Paul 
               Metzier had decided to run against me, 
               but nothing could be further from the 
               truth.  He was no competition for me: it 
               was like apples and oranges. It just 
               meant I had to work a little harder, 
               that's all.
     
     INT. TRACY'S BASEMENT     NIGHT
     
     CLOSE ON TRACY'S FACE --
     
     in a xeroxed photograph. "Vote Tracy!" is written at the bottom.
     
     Tracy is making campaign buttons with her BUTTON MACHINE. She 
     manufactures her buttons with almost alarming intensity. PATRIOTIC 
     MUSIC begins to rise.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               You see, I believe in the voters. They 
               understand that elections aren't just 
               popularity contests. They know this 
               country was built by people just like me 
               who work very hard and don't have 
               everything handed to them on a silver 
               spoon.
     
     THE TRACY BUTTONS
     
     drop one by one into a box. All the little round Tracys smile up at 
     us.
     
     EXT. MILLARD PARKING LOT    DAY
     
     Paul is in the driver's seat of his hitching big-wheeled PICKUP TRUCK.  
     His door is open, and his radio blasts a SONG carefully selected to 
     boost soundtrack album sales.  Various FRIENDS OF PAUL'S hang around.
     
     Tracy watches the scene from her seat on the SCHOOL BUS
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D) 
               Not like some rich kids who everybody 
               likes because their fathers own Metzier 
               Cement and give them trucks on their 
               sixteenth birthday and throw them big 
               parties all the time.  They don't ever 
               have to work for anything.
     
     The .bus pulls away.
     
     INT. TRACY'S LIVING ROOM     AFTERNOON
     
     CLOSE ON TRACY'S FACE -
     
     staring into camera as she exercises on a NORDIC TRAC, Drenched in 
     sweat, she moves in a hypnotic frenzy.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               They think they can all of a sudden one 
               day out of the blue waltz right in with 
               no qualifications whatsoever and try to 
               take away what other people have worked 
               for very, very hard their entire lives.  
               No, it didn't bother me at all I
     
     INT. PAUL'S PICKUP -- DAY
     
     Paul drives home, his stereo thumping. Silent, he appears lost in 
     thought, as though a little gopher idea were burrowing its way to the 
     surface. Oh, look -- there's its snout  now.
     
                              PAUL
               Paul... Paul... power... Paul... Paul 
               for President... progress... promise... 
               peanut... Paul-i-tics... yeah... 
               President Paul... Punt for Paul!  No.
     
     EXT. METZLER HOME     DAY Paul pulls into the driveway and hops out of 
     his car.
     
     INT. TAMMY METZLER'S BEDROOM     DAY
     
     Two GIRLS are kissing on the bed. They are TAMMY METZLER and LISA 
     FLANAGAN, fifteen and seventeen respectively. Lisa breaks away. Tammy 
     tries to kiss her again, but Lisa resists.
     
                              TAMMY
                         (softly) 
               What?
     
                              LISA
               I told you ... I can't. I just -- It 
               doesn't feel right anymore, you know?
     
     INT. METZLER KITCHEN    DAY
     
     Whistling a cheerful tune, Paul tosses his backpack on a chair, grabs 
     a banana, and opens the refrigerator.
     
     INT. TAMMY METZLER'S BEDROOM     DAY 
     
     Tammy is still trying to comfort Lisa.
     
                              TAMMY
               If you could just get out of your head.
     
     Tammy leans forward, puts her palm on Lisa's cheek.  Lisa looks at 
     Tammy as though at a stranger.  Tammy leans forward and .kisses Lisa's 
     eyes.  Lisa jerks her head out of Tammy's hands.
     
                              LISA 
               I said no!
     
     Suddenly, there's a quick KNOCK at the door, and Paul enters. The 
     girls rise quickly.
     
                              PAUL
               Hey, Tammy, guess what happened today.
     
                              TAMMY
               Don't you fucking knock?
     
                              PAUL
               Yeah.  So guess what happened.  So Mr. 
               McAllister, he --
                         (noticing Lisa) 
               Oh hi. Lisa.
     
                              TAMMY
               Paul, get out!
     
                              PAUL
               So Mr. M. calls me in and tells me --
     
                              LISA 
               I gotta go.
     
     Lisa pushes her way past Paul and runs down the hall
     
                              TAMMY
                         (to Paul) 
               You dumbshit!
     
                              PAUL
               What'd I do?
     
     THE SCENE FREEZES.
     
                              TAMMY (VO)
               You know how they say one day a big 
               meteor might come and crash into the 
               Earth and kill everybody? Well, I think 
               that would be a good thing.
     
     BACK TO LIFE - Tammy turns away from Paul in disgust and runs after 
     Lisa
     
     INT. METZLER LIVING ROOM AND FOYER     CONTINUOUS
     
     Tammy finds the front door flung open and through it sees Lisa 
     slamming the door of her beat-up Honda Civic and starting the engine.
     
                              TAMMY
               Lisa
     
     EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET     CONTINUOUS
     
     Tammy runs up to the car as it pulls away. She pounds on the window.
     
                              TAMMY
               Stop! Wait!
     
     Lisa stops the car, rolls down the window
     
                              TAMMY (CONT'D)
               Where 're you going?
     
                              LISA 
               I'm not like you.
     
                              TAMMY
               What...?
     
                              LISA
               I'm not a dyke, okay, and we're not in 
               love. We were just... I was just 
               experimenting.
     
     Lisa speeds away, and we watch her car grow smaller and smaller.
     
     CLOSE ON TAMMY'S FACE -
     
     as we see the greatest disappointment of her short life break across 
     her face.
     
                              TAMMY (VO)
               How can something that seems so true 
               turn out to be such a lie?
     
     EXT. ELMWOOD PARK -- DAY
     
     Lisa and Tammy are swinging synchronized on a swingset, smiling and 
     laughing. The image is slightly OVEREXPOSED as though to suggest an 
     ideal memory.
     
     CLOSE ON TAMMY looking over at Lisa
     
                              TAMMY (VO CONT'D)
               I mean Lisa and I were destined to be 
               together. It was so obvious. Of all the 
               people on the planet who had ever lived, 
               somehow we'd found each other.
     
     CLOSE ON LISA
     
     in SLOW MOTION, swinging next to us. She looks  back, her face so 
     happy.
     
                              TAMMY (VO CONT'D)
               Lisa...
     
     INT. TAMMY'S ROOM -- DAY
     
     CHOMP-CHOMP-CHOMP Tammy eats an asparagus spear.
     
     GNAW-GNAW-GNAW Lisa eats an asparagus spear
     
     TAMMY drinks a big glass of water.  She giggles a little.
     
     LISA drinks a big glass of water.  She giggles too.
     
                              TAMMY (VO CONT'D)
               I remember one time Lisa and I did an 
               experiment with asparagus to see how 
               long it takes your pee to smell. We peed 
               a little every five minutes.
     
     AN EGG TIMER:  Ding I Tammy and Lisa, very serious now, smell little 
     Dixie cups
     
                              TAMMY (VO CONT'D)
               For her it took about fifteen minutes, 
               and for me it was twenty.
     
     INT. LIBRARY     DAY 
     
     Lisa studies at a table, surrounded by other busy students.
     
                              TAMMY (VO)
               Everyday I found some new way to tell 
               Lisa I loved her.
     
     Suddenly Tammy walks by, drops a folded NOTE in front of Lisa, and 
     walks on.  Lisa opens it.
     
                              NOTE 
                         (Tammy's voice)
               If you died right now, I would throw 
               myself into one of my Dad's cement 
               trucks and get poured into your tomb.
     
     Lisa looks over her shoulder at Tammy, who is now at the door of the 
     library.  Tammy nods at her with quiet loving reassurance.
     
                              TAMMY (VO)
               But it just seemed like the closer we 
               got, the more she pulled away.
     
     INT. MILLARD HALLWAY     DAY
     
     Lisa watches Tammy open her locker and notices a four-frame PHOTO-
     BOOTH PHOTOGRAPH taped to the inside of the door.  In the photos Lisa 
     and Tammy are clowning and smooching.  Lisa reaches over and YANKS the 
     photos off the door.
     
                              LISA 
               Are you crazy?
     
                              TAMMY
               What?
     
                              LISA
               People can see this.
     
                              TAMMY
               So?
     
                              LISA
               These are private -- these are for us.
     
                              TAMMY
               I know.
     
                              LISA
               But other people can see them too.
     
                              TAMMY
               I don't care.
     
                              LISA 
               Well, I do.
     
     Lisa walks away with the photos
     
     EXT. ELMWOOD PARK     DAY
     
     CLOSE ON LISA SWINGING -- next to us, a final reprise of Tammy's 
     favorite memory
     
                              TAMMY (VO)
               What did I do to make her change? 
               What's wrong with me?
     
     Lisa swings out of frame, and the swing returns EMPTY.
     
                              TAMMY (VO CONT'D)
                         (a whisper) 
               Lisa.
     
     EXT. HILL ABOVE A POWER PLANT     TWILIGHT
     
     Tammy sits on a promontory overlooking an Omaha Public Power District 
     station -- towers, wires, insulators, a loud HUM.
     
                              TAMMY (VO CONT'D)
               Sometimes when I'm sad, I sit and watch 
               the power station.
     
     Tammy lifts a pair of BINOCULARS to her eyes, sees THE POWER PLANT.
     
                              TAMMY (VO CONT'D)
               They say if you lie between two of the 
               main wires, your body just evaporates.  
               You become a gas.  I wonder what that 
               would feel like.
     
     TAMMY'S STREET -- EVENING
     
     Lisa's car speeds away, growing smaller and smaller. We're back at the 
     BREAK-UP.  CLOSE ON TAMMY'S FACE as she stares down the street, unable 
     to move. It  starts to rain. Tears roll down her cheeks, mixing with 
     the  rain. very French, very sad.
     
                              TAMMY (VO CONT'D)
               I don ' t know what I did to make Lisa 
               hate me so much, but somehow she decided 
               to hurt roe. And she knew exactly what 
               to do.
     
     LISA'S BEDROOM     DAY
     
     CLOSE ON PAUL'S FACE -- 
     
     matched in size to Tammy's. He is moaning, gasping.
     
     FROM OVERHEAD --
     
     Paul is sprawled on Lisa's bed, surrounded by stuffed animals. His 
     legs dangle over the edge of the bed, and Lisa kneels between them, 
     her head bobbing up and down.
     
                              PAUL (VO)
               I sure was surprised the day Lisa 
               Flanagan asked me for a ride home and 
               ended up blowing me.
     
     Lisa pauses and looks up at Paul.
     
                              LISA
               I've wanted this for so long.
     
     She resumes with renewed vigor
     
                              PAUL
               Uhhh... teeth. Teeth.
     
                              LISA
               Sorry.
     
     INT. MILLARD HIGH CAFETERIA    DAY
     
     Paul and Lisa sit with some other friends at a lunch table. Paul has 
     one arm around Lisa as he eats with his other hand.
     
                              PAUL (VO)
               Life is so weird.  First Lisa has a big 
               fight with my sister, and the next thing 
               you know she's my girlfriend.
     
     Lisa turns around to look at
     
     TAMMY seated at another table directly behind them.  She and Lisa lock 
     eyes before they both turn around again.
     
     EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD     DAY
     
     Paul poses for a campaign photo in his football uniform.  He freezes 
     in position as though about to throw a pass.  Lisa adjusts his 
     position -- CLICK.
     
                              PAUL (VO CONT'D)
               Since Lisa knew all about public 
               relations and stuff, she offered to help 
               me with my campaign.  We made a great 
               team!
     
     Tammy spies from underneath the bleachers
     
     INT. MILLARD HALLWAY     DAY
     
     Paul is on all fours as Lisa stands on his back to hang a poster with 
     Paul's football picture reading: "Paul Metzier You Bet-zier!"
     
                              PAUL (VO CONT'D)
               It seemed so natural, the two of us 
               together.  It was like destiny.
     
     Tammy watches from a nearby classroom door, her nose and cheek pressed 
     against the window.
     
     EXT. LISA'S HOUSE     DAY 
     
     Paul's truck pulls up, and Paul and Lisa get out
     
                              PAUL (VO CONT'D)
               That spring was perfect.  My leg wasn't 
               bugging me too much, and the weather was 
               so nice.  And every afternoon after 
               school. Lisa and I would go to her house 
               to fuck and have a swim.  It was like we 
               were in a world all our own.
     
     Tammy emerges from behind a tree.  She's on her bike.  Angry and 
     fragile, she watches the couple enter Lisa's house.
     
     EXT. LISA'S BACKYARD     DAY 
     
     Tammy peeks OVER THE FENCE and sees --
     
     LISA AND PAUL swimming.  Paul dives off the board and resurfaces right 
     into Lisa's arms.
     
     MOVE CLOSER TO TAMMY as she dies a thousand deaths.
     
                              TAMMY (VO)
               I had to do something.  I didn't know 
               what, but I had to do something.
     
     FADE OUT
     
     INT. SHERRY NOVOTNY'S BACKYARD -- DAY
     
     A laughing BABY BOY is lowered into frame and pulled back up again.  
     Then he swings across frame.  It's little DARRYL NOVOTNY.
     
     WIDE -
     
     JIM has Darryl by the ankles and is swinging him between his legs. 
     Diane and Sherry are setting the picnic table.  Stacked charcoal 
     briquettes burn off in a nearby barbecue.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               Around that time Diane and I were 
               hanging out a lot at Sherry Novotny's  
               house, giving her our love and support 
               and helping her make it through a 
               difficult time.
     
                              DIANE
               Jim, don't.  You're scaring him.
     
                              JIM
               He likes it.
     
     Darryl's laughter suddenly turns into CRYING
     
                              DIANE
               Here.  Give him to me.
                         (as she takes 
                         Darryl)
               is little Darryl dizzy?  That's it. . 
               come here. . .
     
                              SHERRY 
               You got him?
     
                              DIANE 
               Yeah.
     
     Sherry heads into the house.  JIM watches her walk, then turns toward 
     Diane and Darryl.  It's as though Diane, not Sherry, were the infant's 
     real mother, so loving and attentive is she, so swelled with maternal 
     piety.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               Diane really wanted to have kids -- and 
               so did I -- but it seemed like there was 
               always a reason to wait: she had to 
               finish nursing school, I had to get my 
               masters, we needed a new house, we 
               needed more money.  Finally we just 
               decided to go for it...
     
     INT.  JIM'S BEDROOM     NIGHT
     
     A DIGITAL THERMOMETER reads 99.3.  Behind it Diane lies in bed reading 
     a copy of Self.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               ...but for over a year we hadn't had 
               any luck.  And Diane was getting 
               desperate.
     
     INT. JIM'S HOME OFFICE     NIGHT
     
     At his desk, JIM studies a High Society magazine.  He is naked.
     
     JIM closes his eyes and bites his lip as though feeling something he 
     wished not to leave him.  He quickly replaces a stack of magazines in 
     his desk and goes across the hall to --
     
     INT.  BEDROOM     CONTINUOUS
     
     where 'Lisa''s car speeds away, growing smaller and smaller. We''re 
     back at the BREAK-UP.  CLOSE ON TAMMY''S FACE as she stares down the 
     street, unable to move. It  starts to rain. Tears roll down her 
     cheeks, mixing with the  rain. very French, very sad.' waits in bed.  
     She puts aside her magazine and welcomes Papa Bear.  Lisa pauses and 
     looks up at Paul. closes the door behind him.
     
     INT. MCALLISTER BEDROOM     LATER
     
     JIM and Diane copulate.  Although ostensibly near climax, JIM seems to 
     be struggling.  Diane's exhortations, once forbidden and exciting, now 
     seem routine.
     
                              DIANE
               You gonna do it? You gonna do it?
     
                              JIM
                Yeah, uh, just a minute
     
                              DIANE
               Come on, doit. Doit. Fill me up. Come 
               on, fill me up
     
                              JIM
               Yeah, just --
     
                              DIANE 
               Do it!
     
     JIM finally climaxes
     
                              DIANE (CONT'D) 
               Okay!
     
     With that JIM rolls off of her. Diane immediately hoists her knees to 
     her chest.
     
     CLOSE ON JIM - on his side of the bed facing away from Diane.
     
                              DIANE
               Could you hand me the remote?
     
     EXT. NOVOTNY BACKYARD     AS BEFORE 
     
     JIM is snapped out of his reverie by Sherry's voice
     
                              SHERRY 
               Say, Jim. Jim.
     
     JIM looks. Sherry is walking out the patio door holding a big bottle 
     of wine with a corkscrew sticking out of it.
     
                              SHERRY (CONT'D) 
               Could you get this? I can't
     
                              JIM
               Sure.
     
     JIM takes the bottle.  CLOSE ON the neck as the cork emerges: POP!
     
     INT. NOVOTNY KITCHEN -- DAY
     
     Sherry stands at the base of a stepladder as JIM climbs up and points 
     to a spot on the ceiling.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               Without Dave around. Sherry needed a 
               lot of help around the house.
     
                              JIM
               Here?
     
                              SHERRY 
                         (indicating) 
               More this way.
     
                              JIM
               Okay.  Give me the drill.
     
     JIM looks down at Sherry as she hands it up.  Her blouse reveals a bit 
     more than it should, and JIM pauses to get an extra glimpse.
     
     THE POWER DRILL BIT penetrates the ceiling.
     
     EXT. HOVOTHY FRONT YARD -- DAY
     
     A shirtless JIM is MOWING the lawn on a hot day.  He shuts it off as 
     Sherry emerges from the house with lemonade.  She wears culottes, a 
     halter top, and flip-flops.
     
                              JIM
               I'd always liked Sherry, but we'd never 
               had a chance to spend any time alone 
               together.  How with Dave out of the 
               picture, I began to see what an 
               incredibly sensitive and giving person 
               she was.
     
     JIM downs his glass in big thirsty gulps and hands her back the glass. 
     He watches her walk back to the house.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               Plus she had finally dropped all that 
               weight from her pregnancy, and really 
               she looked great.
     
     THE RIPCORD of the lawnmower is pulled a couple of times until it 
     starts.
     
     INT. YOUHKERS DEPARTMENT STORE -- DAY
     
     IN WOMEN'S ACCESSORIES -
     
     Sherry looks at herself in the mirror modeling a colorful floppy hat. 
     She spins around for Jim's approval.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               We got to be pretty good buddies.  I 
               even took her to the mall one time while 
               her car was in the shop.
     
     JIM smiles and nods.  She puts on another.  Sherry is like a young 
     girl on a date.  She grabs Jim's hand and pulls him in another 
     direction.
     
     AT THE MAKEUP COUNTER - Sherry spreads on lipstick.
     
                              SHERRY 
               What do you think?
     
     It's clear what JIM thinks.
     
                              JIM
               You look great
     
     INT. JIM'S CAR -- DAY
     
     They're driving home.  There are packages on Sherry's lap and in the 
     backseat.
     
                              SHERRY
               I can't afford this stuff right now.
     
                              JIM
               Oh, come on.  You've had a hard year, 
               you're cooped up with the kid all the 
               time.  Let go; live a little.
     
                              SHERRY 
               You sure?
     
     They come to a stop at a red light.  Out one window JIM spots a MOTEL.
     
                              JIM
               So what do you think?  Should we get a 
               room?
     
                              SHERRY
               Should we get a what?
     
                              JIM
               points at the motel.
     
                              SHERRY (CONT'D) 
               Oh.
     
     Her smile fades, and she stares straight ahead. There's an icy, 
     uncomfortable silence.
     
                              SHERRY (CONT'D) 
                         (stiffly) 
               That's not funny.
     
     The light changes. JIM swallows, accelerates
     
     INT. JIM'S KITCHEN     DAY
     
     JIM walks in through the backdoor. Diane is loading the dishwasher. 
     They peck-kiss.
     
                              DIANE 
               How'd it go?
     
                              JIM 
               Fine. You know. We just went to 
               Crossroads.
     
                              DIANE 
               You guys have fun?
     
     JIM picks an apple out of a bowl.
     
                              JIM
                         (between bites)
               Yeah. No. I mean, you know.
     
                              DIANE
               What?
     
                              JIM
               Well, Sherry's great.  But she can be a 
               little much sometimes.
     
     INT. MCALLISTER BEDROOM     NIGHT
     
     Diane lies face-down, and JIM is on top of her. JIM makes spirited 
     love with her.
     
                              DIANE 
               Oh, Jim! Oh, God!
     
     SHERRY'S HEAD, like a cut-out from a tabloid cover, floats in from 
     off-screen and lands on the back of Diane's head. At the right moment, 
     her face COMES TO LIFE and vaguely mouths the words that Diane is 
     saying, like a badly-dubbed movie.
     
                              DIANE/SHERRY
               Oh, God.  Just like that.  Oh yes. Fill 
               me up...
     
     Jim's wicked desire increases with each movement
     
     Now TRACY FLICK'S FACE floats over and replaces Sherry's. Tracy mouths 
     Diane's words.
     
                              DIANE/TRACY 
               Do it, Jim.  Fuck me.
     
     JIM is at once in deep-space ecstasy and surprised at himself.  
     Diane's voice now changes: it's Tracy's VOICE.
     
                              TRACY (OS) 
               Fuck me, Mr. McAllister
     
     FADE OUT
     
     UNDER BLACK
     
                              JIM (VO)
               So like I was saying, things were going 
               pretty well in my life.
     
     INT. MILLARD HALLWAY -- DAY 
     
     It's passing period, and hundreds of students clog the halls
     
                              JIM (VO)
               ... that is, until things started going 
               all haywire with that damn election.
     
     A distant DING-DING grows louder and louder. Everyone turns toward the 
     source, far down the hall, and eventually TAMMY emerges wearing a 
     makeshift SANDWICH BOARD that reads "Tammy Metzier For President." 
     Smiling a perverse smile, she rings a hand bell. Salvation Army style.
     
     Paul is at his locker and watches Tammy go by.
     
                              PAUL
               Tammy? Tammy, what are you doing?
     
     Tammy ignores her brother and keeps walking directly toward us, 
     finally INTO CAMERA.
     
     INT. MILLARD TEACHERS' OFFICES -- DAY Tracy sits opposite Mr. 
     McAllister.
     
                              TRACY
               You're the advisor.  You should stop 
               her.  She's not qualified.  She's just a 
               sophomore.
     
                              JIM
               Calm down, Tracy.  Just calm down.
     
                              TRACY
               Are you sure all her signatures are 
               real?  It's not easy to get all those 
               signatures.
     
                              JIM
               As far as I know, they--
     
     Suddenly LISA AND PAUL are sitting where Tracy was.
     
                              PAUL
               We can't both run, can we?  We're 
               brother and sister.  Can we?
     
                              LISA
               It's a conflict of interest.  And Paul 
               was first.
     
                              JIM
               Anyone who gets signatures in on time 
               can run.  And she got in just under the 
               wire.  Nothing I can do.
     
     Now TRACY replaces Lisa and Paul
     
                              TRACY
               Let me see them.  Let me see them
     
     Sighing, JIM fishes in his drawer and hands Tracy some sheets
     
                              TRACY
               These are a bunch of burn-outs. And 
               look at this one, I can't even read this 
               one.
     
                              JIM
                         (taking the sheet) 
               Looks like Tim Kobza.
     
     LISA AND PAUL again
     
                              LISA
               She's doing this to get back at me
     
                              PAUL
               For what?
     
                              LISA 
               I mean at you.
     
                              PAUL
               For what?
     
                              LISA
               I don't know.  You're her brother you 
               should know.
     
     TRACY returns.
     
                              TRACY
               Tim Kobza?  Tim Kobza!  Who's he? I've 
               never heard of him!
     
                              JIM
               Look, why don't we just forget about 
               Tammy?  We'll have the assembly 
               tomorrow, everybody'll make their 
               speeches, and I'm sure everything will 
               be fine.
     
     INT. MILLARD GYMNASIUM DAY
     
     The entire student body is assembled on the bleachers. There is a 
     palpable mood of boredom and apathy.
     
     JERRY SLAVIN, a handicapped kid in a wheelchair, is  at the 
     microphone. His head lists to one side, and he takes  long breaths as 
     he speaks.
     
                              JERRY
               I love Millard High, and I will be a 
               dedicated vice President. A vote for 
               Jerry Slavin is a vote for good 
               government. And even if I can't really 
               stand up for you, I will.
                         (cracks himself up)
               Thank you.
     
     Jerry motors away amid scattered applause and coughs.  JIM steps 
     forward, clapping, and raises the mike.
     
                              JIM
               Thank you, Jerry, and good luck. Again, 
               Jerry is running unopposed for Vice 
               President. So we'll move on now to the 
               presidential race with three candidates 
               running. The first in alphabetical order 
               is Tracy Flick.
     
     Tracy steps forward with a small stack of index cards. During her 
     speech she flips the cards over one by one but rarely looks at them.
     
                              TRACY
               Poet Henry David Thoreau once wrote, "I 
               cannot make my days longer, so I strive 
               to make them better."  With this 
               election, we here at Millard also have 
               an opportunity to make our high school 
               days better.  During this campaign I 
               have had the opportunity to speak with 
               many of you about your concerns.  I 
               spoke with freshman Eliza Ramirez, who 
               told me how alienated she feels from her 
               own homeroom.  I spoke with sophomore 
               Reggie Banks, who said his mother works 
               in a cafeteria and can't afford to buy 
               him enough spiral notebooks for his 
               classes.  I won't bore you with long-
               winded promises about all the new and 
               innovative things I will definitely 
               achieve during the year in which it will 
               be my honor and privilege to represent 
               each and every one of you, but I can say 
               that my years of experience on the 
               student council have taught me the three 
               most important attributes the president 
               needs to possess;  commitment -
     
                              DOUG SCHENKEN
               Eat me
     
                              DOUG'S BUDDY 
               Eat me raw!
     
     There is  scattered laughter. Tracy pauses, wait Hendricks bounds up 
     and grabs the mike.
     
                              WALT
               If you can't be adults and give these 
               candidates the courtesy they deserve, 
               then you don't deserve to be called 
               adults but children* Because that's what 
               children are. And you'll be treated like 
               children. So let's all listen up.
     
     Walt backs away to his seat. Tracy resumes
     
                              TRACY
               The three most important attributes the 
               president needs to possess are: 
               commitment, qualifications, and 
               experience.  I'll add one more; caring.  
               I care about Millard, and I care about 
               each and every one of you, and together 
               we can all make a difference.  One of 
               the things I would like to establish is 
               a regular open forum where any student 
               can come and voice their concern about 
               issues we face here at Millard.  I and 
               the rest of the student council would 
               then interface with the faculty and 
               staff, so a continuous dialogue would 
               exist.
     
     Walt whispers to Jim.
     
                              WALT
               I'd say she knows a thing or two about 
               student-faculty dialogue.
     
     JIM nods solemnly
     
                              TRACY
               When you cast your vote for Tracy Flick 
               next week, you won't just be voting for 
               me.  You'll be voting for yourself and 
               for every other student Our days won't 
               be any longer, but they can sure be 
               better.  Thank you.
     
     Tracy smiles and walks back to her folding chair.  There is polite 
     applause and a few whistles.  JJJB comes back to the microphone.
     
     Tracy takes her seat next to Paul and glances at him.  Paul scares 
     straight ahead, a fat bead of sweat on his forehead. One of his legs 
     is jiggling.
     
                              JIM
               The next candidate for student body 
               president is Paul Metzier.  Paul?
     
     Paul awkwardly makes his way to the mike.   Though by no means 
     thunderous, his applause clearly exceeds Tracy's.  A small cluster of 
     jocks "woof" for him, shaking their fists in the air.  Paul manages a 
     weak grin for his buddies.
     
     Tracy shifts in her chair, her smile stiff and forced
     
     Lisa smiles and nods at Paul from the bleachers, giving him 
     encouragement and a silent reminder to remember what they talked 
     about.
     
     Tammy's eyes dart between Lisa and Paul. She shows no emotion, reveals 
     nothing.
     
     The applause quickly dies, and after a moment Paul remembers to look 
     at the white paper in his hand. He speaks in a barely audible 
     monotone, never once glancing up.
     
                              PAUL
               As many of you know I broke my leg 
               pretty bad thi3 year and the experience 
               has made me reevaluate what I want to do 
               with my life and that is help people 
               when you think about it a school is more 
               than a school it's our second home where 
               we spend all cur time and grow as 
               individuals and a community but is our 
               school everything it could be I want our 
               school to reach its true potential that 
               is why I am running for president.
     
     JIM pinches the bridge of his nose, clearly pained
     
     A few loud SOUND EFFECT SNORES saw through the air, and Walt points a 
     stern finger at - you guessed it -- Doug Schenken.
     
                              PAUL
               I know what it is to fight hard and win 
               like when we almost went to state last 
               fall and I threw that fourth-quarter 
               pass against Westside for the touchdown 
               that won the game by three points I 
               won't let you down like I didn't then I 
               promise we can all score a winning
                         (big breath)
               touchdown together. Vote Paul Metzier 
               for president thank you.
     
     Paul now gets considerably less applause, but his jock friends remain 
     loyal.
     
                              JIM
               Okay, Paul. Now our final candidate for 
               President - another one of the Metzier 
               clan -- sophomore Tammy Metzier.
     
     Tammy approaches the mike. There are scattered mocking whistles and 
     catcalls.
     
     Tammy calmly looks over the crowd, waiting for the jeers to subside. 
     She makes eye contact with Lisa, who stares back.
     
                              WALT 
               People.  People I
     
     The room quiets down.  Tammy puts her lips close to the mike,
     
                              TAMMY
               Who cares about this stupid election?
     
     NOW there's something worth listening to.
     
                              TAMMY (CONT'D)
               We all know it doesn't matter who gets 
               elected president of Millard. You think 
               it's going to change anything around 
               here, make one single person happier or 
               smarter or nicer? The only person it 
               matters to is the one who gets elected.  
               The same pathetic charade happens every 
               year, and everyone makes the same 
               pathetic promises just so they can put 
               it on their transcripts to get into 
               college.  So vote for me, because I 
               don't even want to go to college, and I 
               don't care, and as president I won't do 
               anything.  The only promise I make is 
               that if elected I will immediately 
               dismantle the student government, so 
               that none of us will ever have to sit 
               through one of these stupid assemblies 
               again!
     
     There is a sudden huge cathartic eruption of cheers and applause.  
     Tammy has set them free.  Even cynical old Doug Schenken and his 
     buddies join in.
     
                              STUDENTS 
               Tammy!   Tammy!  Tammy!
     
     In total control, she steps back from the mike and CURTSIES.
     
     Walt shoots an angry, confused look at Jim, who shrugs. Tracy is 
     clearly upset, but her smile remains eerily fixed Paul just looks 
     confused and ashamed.  Jerry Slavin is convulsed in laughter and 
     chants along with the multitude.
     
     Tammy quickly grabs the mike for one final exhortation.
     
                              TAMMY
               0h don't vote for me I  Who cares? 
               Don't vote at all!
     
     The students go nuts.
     
     INT. WALT HENDRICK'S OFFICE     DAY
     
     Dr. Hendricks is in a serious post-assembly discussion with JIM and 
     VICE-PRINCIPAL RON BELL.
     
                              WALT
               That little bitch made a fool of us I 
               want her out of the election. Getting 
               everybody all riled up like that.  She's 
               finished, you hear me? Washed up.
     
                              JIM
               Walt, we can't throw her out of the 
               election just because we don't like her 
               speech.  That's not what student 
               government's about.
     
                              WALT 
                         (grumbling)
               Yeah... whatever.  All I know is she's 
               a troublemaker.  She's on my list.
     
                              RON
               All we need to do is send a message, so 
               maybe we should just suspend her.
     
                              WALT
               Right.  That's it.  She's suspended for 
               a week!
     
     To emphasize his point, Walt throws his STYROFOAM CUP at the 
     wastepaper basket and misses.  Lowell the janitor, passing by outside 
     the door, notices the cup bouncing on the floor.
     
                              JIM
               I think that's a little strong Walt.  
               Ron?
     
                              RON
               We don't want to make a martyr out of 
               her.  Three days sounds right to me.
     
                              WALT
               Okay.  Three days.  Take care of it.
     
     EXT. STREETS     DAY
     
     Tammy rides her bike on this crisp sunny spring day.  The music is 
     buoyant.  Tammy is all smiles.
     
                              TAMMY (VO)
               Being suspended is like getting a paid 
               vacation.  Too bad it was only three 
               days
     
     EXT. 7-11  DAY
     
     Tammy is hanging out by the entrance. A DUDE emerges from the store 
     carrying a 12-pack of beer. En route to his car, he throws Tammy a 
     pack of CIGARETTES.
     
                              DUDE 
               Here you go.
     
     Tammy looks at the pack
     
                              TAMMY
               Hey -- I said lights I
     
     EXT. SACRED HEART ACADEMY -- DAY
     
     A cigarette hanging out of her mouth, Tammy rides by the front of this 
     Catholic girls' school.
     
     NOW AT THE ATHLETIC FIELD -
     
     Tammy gets off her bike, goes to look through the surrounding fence at 
     
     GIRLS PLAYING LACROSSE
     
     in their cleats, short skirts, jerseys. LITURGICAL MUSIC accompanies 
     SLOW-MOTION close-ups of the girls in action.
     
     Tammy seems to breathe them in
     
     INT. TAMMY'S ROOM -- DAY
     
     Wearing headphones. Tammy DANCES to music only  she can hear. She 
     happens to glance toward her door and notices a MANILA ENVELOPE 
     sliding under it. She opens the door  and finds a startled Paul.
     
                              TAMMY
               What do you want?
     
                              PAUL
               Oh.  Hi, Tammy.  I was just, you know, 
               I went to all your teachers and got your 
               assignments.
     
     Tammy looks at him, picks up the packet.
     
                              PAUL (CONT'D)
               I just thought, well, last time you got 
               suspended you fell so behind and -
     
                              TAMMY
               Okay, Paul.  Thanks.  Thanks a lot.
     
     Paul smiles at the acknowledgment of his good deed.
     
                              TAMMY (CONT'D)
               Now could you leave me alone?
     
                              PAUL
               Yeah.  Oh, one more thing. Tammy. You 
               know, all this election stuff. 'Cause, 
               you know, everyone is saying it's so 
               weird that you're running against me, 
               and, well, it is kind of weird, and you 
               haven't really told me why you're doing 
               it and didn't tell me in advance or 
               anything.  But that's okay, you know.  l 
               respect your privacy.  I just want you 
               to know that no matter who wins, if it's 
               you or me, there's no hard feelings.  
               We're still brother and sister.  Okay?  
               Cause... and I hope you feel the same.
     
                              TAMMY
               Sure, Paul.  No hard feelings.
     
                              PAUL
               Okay.  Great.  I feel good.
     
     Paul is about to leave again but
     
                              PAUL
               Oh.  Oh.  Yeah.  Right.  One other 
               thing.  Since you know Lisa so well, 
               could you give me some advice?  I want 
               to get her something for helping me with 
               the election.  You know, something 
               really special -- like flowers or candy 
               or flowers and candy.  Or is that too 
               typical?  I mean, can you think of 
               something? Something really special?  
               You know, something she'd really like?
     
     Tammy looks as though she'd like to push the button on all the world's 
     atomic bombs.
     
     EXT. TRACY'S DRIVEWAY DAY
     
     CLOSE ON A GIANT OUTLINED "0" --
     
     drawn on white paper. A hand enters frame with a brush and begins to 
     fill in the outline with blue tempera-paint.
     
     Camera RISES to reveal the "0" as part of a giant banner. Tracy is 
     working on some letters, while ERIC OVERHOLDT is working on others.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               What happened at the speeches was an 
               unconscienceable travesty. That little 
               bitch Tammy Metzier wanted to make a 
               fool out of me. Well, it wasn't going to 
               work. People do care who wins. Things do 
               matter.
     
     Finally, we're high enough to read:

     WHO CARES? I DO: VOTE TRACY!
 
                              TRACY
               Eric, the "r" is supposed to be green, 
               not blue.
     
                              ERIC 
               Oh. Okay.
     
     Eric carefully paints over his mistake, then works up  some courage.
     
                              ERIC (CONT'D)
               So, Tracy, I was wondering if after we 
               finish with these you'd like to go to a 
               movie or something.
     
                              TRACY
               That's okay.  I'm too busy.
     
     Ouch.
     
     INT. MILLARD YEARBOOK OFFICE -- NIGHT A haggard Tracy sits alone at a 
     computer monitor
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               People are so ungrateful.  If all those 
               students who cheered for Tammy Metzier 
               only knew how hard I worked for Millard.  
               Like all the late nights I spent at the 
               yearbook office just to give them their 
               memories.
     
     THE MONITOR
     
     displays a DIGITIZED PHOTO of the Millard yearbook staff.  DAVE 
     NOVOTNY peers proudly from behind two of the taller students. A CURSOR 
     in the shape of tiny SCISSORS makes a small circle around Dave's face.  
     Suddenly, the cursor turns into a tiny HAND and drags Dave's dislodged 
     head into the TRASH.
     
     Tracy concentrates as she deftly controls the mouse.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               One of my duties was to clean up the 
               group photos.  It was a cinch with our 
               new software.
     
     THE COMPUTER MONITOR AGAIN --
     
     as Tracy outlines a piece of the WALL and places it in the void where 
     Dave used to be, blurring the edges for a perfect effect,  voila!
     
     Satisfied, Tracy taps on the keyboard.
     
                              TRACY
                         (under her breath)
               Let's see... "save" is Command "S."  
               Okay.
     
     INT. MILLARD HIGH HALLWAY -- NIGHT
     
     Tracy is heading down the hall toward the exit when she rounds a 
     corner and, suddenly deeply troubled, sees that
     
     HER NEW "WHO CARES?" BANNER has come loose on an upper corner and is 
     drooping.
     
     Tracy puts down her things and JUMPS up to slap the corner back into 
     place.  Satisfied, she turns away.  But then - SHOOP!  The banner 
     fights back, peeling even further from the wall.  Tracy prepares for 
     battle.
     
     INT. YEARBOOK OFFICE     NIGHT 
     
     Tracy enters and grabs a long aluminum STRAIGHT-EDGE.
     
     INT. HALLWAY     NIGHT
     
     Standing on an overturned GARBAGE CAN and wielding the straight-edge, 
     Tracy tries to smooth the banner. But she's not holding the ruler flat 
     against the wall and -- RIP! -- she slices the banner lengthwise. Now 
     the plastic garbage can begins to buckle. Struggling to retain her 
     balance, Tracy accidentally hooks the banner and as she TUMBLES yanks 
     the whole thing down.
     
     Overcome with anger and frustration, she thrashes around on the ground 
     and TEARS UP what remains of her banner.
     
     PAUL METZLER smiles down at Tracy from his poster across the hall.
     
     Tracy looks up at it. Instantly she is on her feet, lunging for the 
     poster. She jumps up, TEARS it down, and RIPS Paul's head into pieces.
     
     Blood issues from a thin paper cut on one hand. Tracy regards it at 
     first without comprehending, then raises it to her mouth. While 
     sucking her wound, her gaze falls on --
     
     ANOTHER SMILING PAUL mocking her pain.
     
     ANGLE FROM WAY DOWN THE HALL
     
     Hurricane Tracy begins a savage assault on the fragile coast of 
     Millard High. Paul's campaign posters fill the air, shredded to pieces 
     by the powerful winds of jealousy and rage.
     
     TIME DISSOLVE --
     
     to Tracy even farther down the hall, still jumping, still ripping.
     
     TRACK FROM OVERHEAD - THE HALLWAY FLOOR - where a thousand bits of 
     Paul lie scattered -- a grinning mouth here, an eye there.
     
     TILT UP finally to Tracy, sweating, panting.  She finishes ripping a 
     poster and looks to find another.  But there are no more Paul posters: 
     she has destroyed them all.  Tracy raises her hands and sees they are 
     streaked with Blood.
     
     INT. GIRLS ' BATHROOM     NIGHT
     
     Tracy is at the sink, washing away the blood.  She pats her hands dry 
     with paper towels.  The gravity of what she's done now sinks in, and 
     she panics.
     
                              TRACY
               I didn't do this.  I didn't do it.
     
     She lifts the top off a garbage can, removes the PLASTIC LINER.
     
     INT. MILLARD HALLWAY     NIGHT
     
     With frantic haste, Tracy stuffs the evidence of her awful deed into 
     the garbage bag.
     
     EXT. BACK OF HILLARD HIGH -- MIGHT
     
     Tracy's face is half-obscured by the bulging bag she carries down the 
     sidewalk.
     
     EXT. HILLARD PARKIMC LOT - MIGHT
     
     Tracy opens her TRUNK and heaves the garbage bag inside slamming the 
     trunk, she looks around - no one.
     
     INT. TRACY'S CAR     NIGHT
     
     Tracy drives, sucking on a wounded hand. She glances frequently in the 
     rear-view mirror.
     
     EXT. STREET    MIGHT
     
     Tracy's car drives down a REMOTE ROAD.  There are no sidewalks here, 
     and the surroundings consist of scrubby vegetation and industrial 
     structures.  In the background looms a POWER PLANT.
     
     INT. CAR - CONTINUOUS
     
     We now sense that Tracy has a plan. She throws the car into reverse, 
     backs up and turns onto -
     
     EXT. A SMALL ACCESS ROAD -- CONTINUOUS
     
     Tracy stop the car near an EMBANKMENT. She gets out and pulls the 
     garbage bag from the trunk.
     
     With a big shove Tracy sends the bag cartwheeling down the hill 
     Breathing hard but clearly relieved, Tracy watches the evidence of her 
     deed tumble into obscurity.
     
     NOW THROUGH BINOCULARS Tracy's shadowy figure runs back to the car.
     
     EXT.    HILL   ABOVE   POWER   PLANT  NIGHT
     
     Tammy momentarily drops her BINOCULARS before raising them again.
     
     THROUGH THE BINOCULARS - Tracy's car speeds away.
     
     Tammy drops her binoculars and mounts her bike
     
     EXT. EMBANKMENT -- NIGHT
     
     Tammy skids to a stop, drops her bike, and heads down the embankment.
     
     CLOSE ON THE HEFTY BAG
     
     as Tammy draws near. She pauses at first, but intrepid curiosity 
     conquers her fear. She unties the knot.
     
     FROM INSIDE THE BAG we see Tammy's sudden look of HORROR
     
     PAUL'S MANGLED FACE smiles up at her. Tammy raises it toward camera
     
     INT. NOVOTWY BATHROOM -- MORNING
     
     CLOSE ON A DRAIN
     
     as a hand extracts a huge WAD OF HAIR -- stringy, mucousy. fetid.
     
     JIM holds it up for Sherry, who stands behind him in her bathrobe.
     
                              JIM
               There's your culprit
     
     He examines it from different angles. Both scrunch their faces
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               Shall we give it a name?
     
                              SHERRY
                         (not missing a 
                         beat)
               Dave.
     
     CLOSE ON AN OPEN TOILET - Plop!  The hairwad joins several smaller 
     stringy friends.
     
     NOW AT THE SINK
     
     JIM washes his hands.  Sherry glances between JIM and the water 
     running in the shower.  It's getting steamy.
     
                              SHERRY
               Did you know Dave's a bed wetter?
     
                              JIM
               No, I... uh, didn't know that
     
                              SHERRY
               All his life.  He's tried everything.
     
                              JIM
                         (about the shower)
               Still clear?
     
                              SHERRY
               Yep.
     
                              JIM
               We'll let it run awhile
     
     JIM turns off the faucet and reaches for a towel.  Sherry offers him 
     another.
     
                              SHERRY 
               This one's clean.
     
     JIM takes it and dries his hands.  Sherry now stands very close to 
     him.  JIM
     sets the towel on the sink.  It's a little awkward as they look into 
     each other's eyes, standing so near.
     
                              SHERRY (CONT'D)
               I guess you'd better get to work huh?  
               You're going to be late.
     
     She slowly wraps her arms around Jim's neck and pulls him to her, a 
     hug of gratitude and warmth -- nothing sexual here, just the embrace 
     of two people in need of shelter from the storm of life.  No, nothing 
     sexual at all.
     
                              SHERRY (CONT'D) 
               Thank you, Jim.
     
     Now sherry begins to cry a little, and things begin to change -- hands 
     wander, cheek brushes cheek.  Finally lips meet, tenderly at first.  
     And then it is a deluge.
     
     INT. NOVOTNY LIVING ROOM     DAY
     
     JIM and Sherry stumble in from the hallway locked in an embrace.  They 
     rove around the room, barely able to keep their balance.  Finally, 
     they fall to the ground.
     
     CLOSE ON LITTLE DARRYL --
     
     playing with his foot in the CRIB.  Through the bars behind him we can 
     discern the murky shape of Sherry and JIM rutting and grunting like 
     wild boars.
     
     EXT. NOVOTNY DRIVEWAY     DAY
     
     JIM starts his car.  Sherry leans into his window.  She looks around 
     the neighborhood before kissing him firmly on the mouth.
     
                              SHERRY
               Hey Yeah?
     
                              SHERRY
               Take me to that motel.  Like you 
               wanted.
     
                              JIM
               Right now?
     
                              SHERRY
               Easy, tiger.  Come by after school. 
               I'll leave Darryl with the sitter.
     
                              JIM
               Three twenty-five.
     
                              SHERRY 
               Three twenty-five.
     
     EXT. HILLSIDE ROAD -- DAY
     
     VROOM!  JIM roars past us in his new RED FERRARI CONVERTIBLE
     
     EXT. ITALIAM RIVIERA (REAR PROJECTIOH)     CONTINUOUS
     
     JIM wears a BLACK SUIT and hip HRAPAROUND SUNGLASSES as he drives. He 
     lights a cigarette. Behind him is a cheesy dated REAR PROJECTION Of a 
     curvy MOUNTAIN ROAD. Next Stop: portofino!
     
                              JIM (VO)
               What had blossomed between Sherry and 
               me was too real, too powerful to deny. 
               For the first time in years, I felt free 
               and alive!
     
     EXT. MILLARD HIGH PARKING LOT     DAY
     
     JIM'S Ferrari heads up the driveway and into his assigned space He 
     opens the Ferrari door.
     
     JIM'S FOOT touches the pavement - not a shiny Salvatore Ferragamo 
     loafer but a worn out Dexter.
     
     WIDE -
     
     JIM is back in his own clothes, and his car has reverted to a Ford 
     Escort in need of a wash. He heads toward the school.
     
     INT. HILLARD LIBRARY -- DAY 
     
     JIM enters the library, walks among the stacks.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               So as you can imagine, my thoughts 
               weren't on the election that Monday 
               morning.
     
     JIM takes a BOOK from the shelf
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               My thoughts were only on Sherry, on how 
               perfect she felt inside. There was a 
               special poem I wanted to read to her 
               later, at the motel, as she lay next to 
               me.
     
     Jim flips through the book and finds the poem he seeks. His lips move 
     silently.
     
     JIM'S VOICE (VO CONT'D) 
     Close, close the lovers keep. They stay together in their sleep. Close 
     as two pages in a book That read each other in the dark..
     
     Suddenly -- a grating VOICE from the loudspeakers.
     
                              VOICE (OS) 
               Mr. McAllister to the Principal's 
               Office.  Mr. McAllister to the 
               Principal's office.
     
     JIM smacks the book closed
     
     INT. WALT ' S OFFICE - DAY
     
     LISA FLAMAGAN - her face streaked with tears from outrage and 
     confusion.
     
                              LISA
               It's not fair.  It's not fair
     
     Paul sits next to Lisa on the vinyl sofa.  He wants to console her, 
     but he doesn't know how.
     
                              PAUL
               I just don't think anybody would do 
               something like that on purpose.  It must 
               have been some kind of mistake. Like a 
               maintenance thing.
     
     JIM enters.
     
                              WALT
               Jim, where the hell have you been?
     
                              JIM
               Nowhere.  I don't have class until 
               second period.
     
                              WALT
               Even tried you at home.  We've got a 
               situation here.
     
                              LISA
               If Paul loses tomorrow, it's not fair.  
               There has to be another election,  with 
               posters.
     
                              JIM
               What's the problem?
     
                              LISA 
               Didn't you see?
     
                              WALT
               Somebody tore down their posters.
     
                              LISA
               Those posters cost a lot of money we 
               don't have I  There's no time to make 
               any more posters, there's no --
     
                              WALT
               We'll get to the bottom of it.
     
                              PAUL
                         (to Lisa)
               We still have some extra ones, don't 
               we?  Maybe we can just --
     
                              LISA
               It was Tammy I  That's who it was.
     
                              PAUL
               Oh, no, hey.  Like I said. Tammy 
               wouldn't... she...
     
                              WALT
               Well, that speech she gave -- it was 
               pretty, you know, pretty out there.  But 
               we'll get to the bottom of it.  Don't 
               you worry. Mr. McAllister is going to 
               see to that.  Right, Jim?
     
                              JIM
                         (his thoughts 
                         elsewhere) 
               Oh yeah, you bet.
     
                              LISA
               She should be expelled.  Or worse!
     
                              WALT
               You two just go back and focus on your 
               studies.  Mr. McAllister's going to 
               handle this.
     
     INT.  CHEMISTRY CLASSROOM     DAY
     
     A BUNSEN BURNER --
     
     as a VIAL containing blue liquid is held to the flame.  The solution 
     magically changes from blue to yellow.
     
     Wearing goggles, Tracy holds the beaker with chemist's tongs Her two 
     LAB PARTNERS observe.
     
     The classroom door and a STUDENT approaches the teacher, MR. BECKMAN, 
     to deliver a note.
     
                              MR. BECKMAN 
               Tracy?
     
     Tracy looks up through her goggles.
     
     INT.    MILLARD   HALLWAY  DAY
     
     LONG TRACKING SHOT     . - of Tracy as she leaves the classroom. AS 
     she walks through the .desolate halls and descends a flight of stairs, 
     she holds her head high, suggesting a serene, almost regal confidence.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               When I arrived at school that morning, 
               I was shocked to find that one of my key 
               banners had been removed by vandals. I 
               noticed that a few of my rival's posters 
               had also been tampered with. Of course, 
               I was outraged, but one day before the 
               election is not the time to lose your 
               head over a couple of posters. When 
               you're in the public eye, attacks like 
               that just come with the territory.
     
     Finally she reaches the
     
     INT. SCHOOL OFFICE     DAY
     
     Upon seeing Tracy, MISS LINDA BEEDER, the "They 're-all-my-kids office 
     administrator, points wordlessly to an open door of a conference room. 
     JIM
     is inside.
     
                              JIM
               Tracy. Come on in. And shut the door 
               behind you.
     
     She goes in and closes the door in our face.
     
     INT. LITTLE CONFERENCE ROOM -- DAY
     
     Tracy is seated in a chair. JIM hovers above her, alternately leaning 
     on a desk and pacing.
     
                              JIM
               I guess you know why you're here
     
                              TRACY
               If it's about the posters, I think it's 
               so awful. It's a travesty.
     
                              JIM
               A travesty.  Huh.  That's interesting, 
               because I think you did it.
     
                              TRACY
               Wait - are you accusing me? You're not 
               serious. 
                         (indignant)
               I can't... Mr. McAllister, we have 
               worked together on SGA for three solid 
               years and... I mean, I can't believe it.  
               I'm... I'm shocked!
     
     JIM stares at her.
     
                              TRACY (CONT'D) 
               Mr. M., I am running on my 
               qualifications.  I would never need to 
               resort to, you know, to vandalism like 
               a, you know... Plus, my own best banner 
               was torn down.  Did I do that too?
     
                              JIM
               Were you or were you not working in the 
               Watchdog office over the weekend?
     
                              TRACY
               I was.  So?  Mr. Pecharda let me in.  
               As you know, with all my 
               responsibilities I often come in on the 
               weekend and have permission to do so.  
               But I left very early, around 6:30.
     
                              JIM
               6:30.  How do you know what time the 
               posters were torn down?
     
                              TRACY
               I don't.  I just know they were there 
               when I left.  I'm giving you helpful 
               information is all.  You know, instead 
               of wasting time interrogating me, we 
               should be out there trying to find out 
               who did this.
     
                              JIM
               Okay, Tracy, so who do you think did 
               it?  Whom should we "interrogate?"
     
                              TRACY
               well, I don't know.  It could have been 
               anybody.  There are a lot of, you know, 
               subversive elements around Millard.  You 
               know, like Rick Thieson and Kevin Speck 
               and those burn-outs.  Or Doug Schenken -
               what about him?  Or what about Tammy
               Metzier?  Her whole thing is being anti-
               this and anti-that.
     
     JIM shifts gears
     
                              JIM
               You're a very intelligent girl, Tracy.  
               You have many admirable qualities.  But 
               someday maybe you'll learn that being 
               smart and always being on top and doing 
               whatever you need to do to get ahead, 
               and yes, stepping on people to get 
               there, well, there's a lot more to life 
               than that.  And in the end, you're only 
               cheating yourself.
     
                              TRACY
               Why are you lecturing me?
     
                              JIM
               This isn't the time or the place to get 
               into it, but there is, for just one 
               example, a certain former colleague of 
               mine, who made a very big mistake, a 
               life mistake.  I think the lesson there 
               is that, old and young, we ail make 
               mistakes, and we have to learn that our 
               actions, all of them, can carry serious 
               consequences.  You're very young, Tracy 
               underage, in fact -- but maybe one
               day you'll understand.
     
                              TRACY
               I don't know what you're referring to, 
               but I do know that if certain older and 
               wiser people hadn't acted like such 
               little babies and gotten all mushy, 
               everything would be okay.
     
                              JIM
               I agree.  But I also think certain 
               young and naive people need to thank 
               their lucky stars and be very, very 
               grateful the whole school didn't find 
               out about certain indiscretions which 
               could have ruined their reputations, and 
               chances to win certain elections.
     
                              TRACY
               And I think certain older persons like 
               you and your "colleague" shouldn't be 
               leaching after their students, 
               especially when some of them can't even 
               get their own wives pregnant.  And they 
               certainly shouldn't be running around 
               making slanderous accusations.  
               Especially when certain young, naive 
               people's mothers are para-legal 
               secretaries at the city's biggest law 
               firm and have won many successful 
               lawsuits. And if you want to keep 
               questioning me like this, I won't 
               continue without my attorney present.
     
     JIM draws a long breath as he tries to control himself
     
                              JIM
               Okay, Tracy.  Have it your way.
     
     There's a KNOCK.  JIM and Tracy turn to see
     
     TAMMY METZLER timidly poking her head in.
     
                              TAMMY
               You wanted to see me, Mr. M.?
     
                              JIM
               Just wait outside. Tammy.
     
                              TAMMY
               Okay.  But is this about the posters?
     
                              JIM
               Possibly.  Please just wait outside.
     
                              TAMMY
               Okay. 
                         (looking at Tracy)
               Because I know who did it.  So.. I'll 
               just be outside.
     
     Tammy manages to squeeze in a naughty little smile before closing the 
     door.
     
     INT. OUTER OFFICE    DAY
     
     Tammy sits patiently in a chair, bobbing to an unheard song. The door 
     opens, and Tracy emerges.
     
                              JIM
               Tracy, don't go away.  Come in, Tammy.
     
     As Tammy and Tracy cross, Tracy speaks in a low voice but loud enough 
     for JIM
     to hear.
     
                              TRACY
               This ought to be good
     
     INT. CONFERENCE ROOM -- DAY 
     
     Tammy sits facing Jim, cradling her backpack.
     
                              JIM
               So... what do you have to tell me?
     
                              TAMMY
               Well, this is hard for me, but I think 
               it's important to be honest. Don't you?
     
                              JIM
                         (impatient) 
               What is it. Tammy?
     
                              TAMMY
               I'm the one.  I did it.  I tore down 
               Paul's posters.
     
                              JIM
               Looks at her skeptically  doesn't say a 
               word.
     
                              TAMMY (CONT'D)
               I did it.
     
                              JIM
               And when did you do it?
     
                              TAMMY
               This weekend.
     
                              JIM
               Exactly when?
     
                              TAMMY
               I don't know. Yesterday.  Sunday.
     
                              JIM
               And how did you get in the school?
     
                              TAMMY
               Door was open.
     
                              JIM
               Which door?
     
                              TAMMY
               I don't know. All I know is I did it I
     
                              JIM
               I don't believe you.
     
                              TAMMY
               I have proof.
     
     She burrows in her backpack.
     
     INT. OUTER OFFICE -- CONTINUOUS
     
     Tracy stands up from her seat and manages to PEEK THROUGH THE WINDOW 
     of the conference room. She sees --
     
     pulling out a handful of POSTER SHREDS from her backpack and handing 
     them to Jim.
     
     Tracy turns away and covers her mouth with one hand.
     
     INT. CONFERENCE ROOM     CONTINUOUS
     
     THE POSTER FRAGMENTS in Jim's hands. TILT UP to Tammy really hamming 
     it up.
     
                              TAMMY
               You don't know what it's like to grow 
               up in the shadow of an older brother 
               like Paul.  it's always Paul, Paul, 
               Paul, Paul.  Never Tammy.  I'm only 
               Paul's little sister.  You must be 
     
     Paul's little sister.  He's so perfect, 
               and I'm so troubled.  I hate him!  I 
               hate him!  And I tore down his posters, 
               It was a horrible, cowardly act, but I 
               did it,.. I did it... l did it... And 
               I'm not sorry...
     
     JIM watches her performance until he can't take it anymore he's got 
     other fish to fry.
     
                              JIM
               Final  I don't know what your problem 
               is, but if that's the way you want it, 
               that's the way it'll be.  I don't have 
               time.  You're out of the election, and 
               I'm turning you over to Dr. Hendricks.
     
     He throws the door open.
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               Tracy?
     
     INT. OUTER OFFICE     CONTINUOUS 
     
     Tracy is frightened but still plays the indignant victim.
     
                              TRACY
               Yes?
     
                              JIM
               Looks like today's your lucky day
     
     What does he mean?
     
                              TRACY
               What do you mean?
     
                              JIM
               You're off the hook. Tammy here has 
               confessed.
     
     It takes Tracy a second to figure out how to react. But once she's got 
     it, she runs with it.
     
                              TRACY
               I told you!  I told you! 
                         (pointing at Tammy)
               You're going to pay for my banner!
     
                              JIM
               That's enough, Tracy.  Quit while 
               you're ahead, okay?  I'll handle this. 
                         (to Hiss Seeder)
               Could you ask Walt to come in?
     
     STAFFROOM     DAY 
     
     JIM is feverishly TYPING.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               The rest of the day was unbearable.  I 
               kept smelling Sherry on my clothes and 
               on my fingers and I just couldn't wait 
               to get out of there.
     
     He yanks the paper out of the carriage and hurries away.
     
     INT. XEROX ROOM -- DAY
     
     A PHOTOCOPY COLLATOR in operation.
     
     JIM pulls sheets out and stacks them.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               I wanted everything to be perfect that 
               afternoon, so I decided to give myself a 
               little time to prepare during eighth 
               period.
     
     INT. JIM'S CLASSROOM     DAY
     
     Students are settling into their seats.  JIM breezes in, a sheaf of 
     papers fucked under his arm.
     
                              JIM
               Pop quiz, everybody
     
     The class groans.
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               No whining.  If you've done your 
               reading, this is an easy one.
     
     JIM peels off a stack of papers for each row
     
                              JIM (VO)
               I'd have exactly forty-eight minutes to 
               make all the arrangements.
     
     JIM glances at the clock:  2:08
     
                              JIM
               If you finish early, just sit quietly 
               and check your work.  I'll be right 
               back.
     
     POOF -- he's gone I
     
     EXT. MILLARD HIGH     DAY
     
     TRACK WITH JIM as he SPRINTS toward the parking lot, fumbling for his 
     keys.
     
     EXT. WALGREEN'S -- DAY 
     
     JIM exits with a bouquet of flowers and a plastic bag.
     
     EXT. SAFARI MOTEL -- DAY 
     
     Jim's car speeds into the driveway and parks
     
     INT. SAFARI MOTEL ROOM -- DAY 
     
     JIM opens the door, sets his things down, and gets to work.
     
     THE SINK --
     
     JIM dumps a bucketful of ICE and wedges in a bottle of cheap 
     CHAMPAGNE.
     
     THE BEDSIDE TABLE -
     
     JIM props up his flowers in the ice bucket and puts a small box of 
     Russell Stover's CANDY next to it.  He unwraps the motel's plastic 
     cups and places them just so.  Perfect.
     
     JIM'S BOOK OF POETRY -- open to that special poem.  He marks it with a 
     carnation.
     
     UNDER THE BED --
     
     Jim's face appears as he kneels down and slides the book into place, 
     ready for that perfect moment.
     
     THE BATHROOM -
     
     Where JIM is NAKED now, squatting in the bathtub, frantically washing 
     his undercarriage. He checks his watch.
     
     EXT: SAFARI MOTEL ROOM     DAY
     
     JIM shuts the door and with jaunty confidence slips the key into his 
     pocket.
     
     EXT. SAFARI MOTEL     DAY 
     
     Jim's car speeds toward the street.
     
     EXT. MILLARD HIGH PARKING LOT -- DAY 
     
     JIM gets out of his car and races back toward the school.
     
     INT. MILLARD HALLWAY     DAY 
     
     JIM skids around a corner.
     
     INT.    JIM'S   CLASSROOM  DAY
     
     With feigned coolness, he saunters into class just as the BELL RINGS.
     
                              JIM
               Okay, everybody, pass them forward.  
               Stephanie, put down your pen.
     
     The class begins to rise.
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               I'll see you all on Wednesday. And 
               don't forget to vote tomorrow.
     
     FROM BEHIND - Jim's back has a large vulva-shaped patch of SWEAT
     
     EXT. MILLARD HIGH PARKING LOT -- DAY 
     
     JIM hurries back to his car, weaving his way through students
     
     EXT. SHERRY'S HOUSE -- DAY 
     
     JIM pulls to a stop in Sherry's driveway.
     
     INT. JIM'S CAR 
     
     JIM checks his watch: 3:24 turns into 3:25
     
     Bingo
     
     EXT. SHERRY ' S HOUSE     DAY
     
     JIM'S FINGER on the doorbell. DING-DONG.
     
     JIM waits, rings again. Ho answer. He knocks. No one. He tries the 
     door. Locked. Maybe she's out back. He walks around the house to --
     
     EXT. SHERRY'S BACKYARD     CONTINUOUS
     
     It's a lovely little backyard. Springtime flowers bloom. Bees buzz 
     among the peonies.
     
     JIM opens the gate, approaches the back door, and knocks.
     
                              JIM
               Sherry I
     
     He rears back and aims his yell toward the second floor.
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               Sherry I It's Jim!
     
     No response. He tries the door. It's locked. JIM cranes his neck for a 
     last look at the house. As he starts to leave, he calls out one final 
     time, not really expecting a response.
     
                              JIM
               Sherry
     
     Suddenly A WASP STINGS him above his right EYE
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               Oww! Fuck! Jesus fuck!
     
     Cursing and holding his head, JIM stumbles out the gate
     
     INT. SAFARI MOTEL LOBBY - DAY
     
     Through the glass windows, we see Jim's car pull into the lot and 
     park. JIM enters the lobby. His eye is puffy and red.
     
     A MOTEL EMPLOYEE watches TV behind the counter
     
                              JIM
               By any chance, has a woman shown up in 
               the last half-hour or so?  Maybe she was 
               looking for me.
     
                              EMPLOYEE
               Nobody's come in here looking for 
               anybody.  Just you.
     
                              JIM
               Are you sure?
     
                              EMPLOYEE
                         (indicating Jim's 
                         eye)
               You okay?
     
     INT. SAFARI MOTEL ROOM     DAY
     
     THE TELEPHONE - as JIM punches in Sherry's number.
     
     JIM holds the phone against his ear and the champagne bottle against 
     his eye.
     
                              JIM
               Sherry, it's me.  Are you there? Pick 
               up.  Okay, it's 4:32.  I came by at 3:25 
               like we said and waited, but you weren't 
               there.  Anyway, I hope you're okay -- 
               I'm worried about you. So now I'm just 
               at the...  at the place we talked about.  
               Suite 219.  So I'm here.  Everything's 
               all set.  You can just come over.  Can't 
               wait. Okay.  Bye.
     
     EXT. SAFARI MOTEL     DAY
     
     TIME LAPSE - as the sky darkens, the motel's NEON SIGN turns on.
     
     JIM now descends the motel stairway carrying his Walgreen's sack.  He 
     puts the key into the drop box and gets in his car.
     
     INT. METZLER KITCHEN -- NIGHT
     
     Dick Metzier and his wife JO are at the breakfast table Tammy sits 
     across from them, her eyes lowered.
     
                              DICK METZIER
               I don't get it.  What you have against 
               your mother and me, against your brother 
               Paul, is completely beyond me.  And your 
               mother is extremely upset, she's at the 
               end of her rope.  Your behavior gets 
               crazier and crazier and wilder and 
               wilder, and who knows what the hell else 
               you're doing out there that we don't 
               even know about?
     
                              TAMMY
               Dad, I
     
                              DICK
                         (jabbing his 
                         finger)
               Don't you smartass me!  Don't you dare 
               smartass me!  You just shut your mouth I 
                         (taking a breath)
                         Now your mother and I have had a long talk with Halt Hendricks  --- we 
                         just got off the phone with him at home. You know, he doesn't want you 
                         back at Millard.  He's fed up with you.  Fed up!  And I don't blame 
                         him!
     
                              JO 
               Dick... Dick,..
     
                              DICK
               What?
     
                              JO 
                         (calmly)
               Tammy,  now we've come to a decision.  
               He just think it would be best --
     
                              DICK
               You're going to Catholic school next 
               year.  You're going to Sacred Heart.  
               Maybe they'll straighten you out!
     
     ANGLE FROM UNDER THE TABLE - Her head low. Tammy SMILES to herself
     
     EXT. JIM'S HOUSE     NIGHT 
     
     JIM'S car pulls into the driveway.
     
     INT. JIM AND DIANE'S KITCHEN    NIGHT
     
     JIM enters the back door and sets his satchel down in the usual place.  
     He opens the refrigerator, grabs a beer.  As he closes the door, 
     something catches his eye.  He reaches inside and throws a plastic 
     container away.  Rooting around noisily, he finds other things to 
     dispose of.  Suddenly --
     
     A BABY CRY stops him cold.
     
     JIM stiffens, his good eye widening as the horrible truth sinks in.  
     He carefully closes the refrigerator and tiptoes toward the living 
     room.
     
     INT.    LIVING   ROOM   --   CONTINUOUS
     
     Jim's face slowly appears around the corner, bad eye first. Finally, 
     he's able to see --
     
                              SHERRY AND DIANE
     
     together on the living room sofa, staring at him.  Their eyes are red 
     from crying.  Little Darryl squirms in Sherry's lap.
     
     Caught, JIM emerges from his hiding place.  No one speaks. Finally, he 
     looks down, sucks in air, blows it out again, nods a little.
     
                              JIM
                         (very softly) 
               Okay
     
     He turns to leave, and nobody stops him.
     
     EXT. JIM'S HOME -- NIGHT
     
     JIM wanders out the front door and stands in his driveway, bewildered 
     and alone.  The camera slowly CRANES UP, eventually looking down on 
     him from a great height.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               As I walked out of my home that 
               evening, unsure if I'd ever return, my 
               entire life in question, I somehow 
               discovered within myself a place of 
               perfect peace.   Oddly, in my solitude I 
               felt more than ever a sense of communion 
               with every human being - past, present 
               and future.  Because no matter what we 
               tell ourselves, no matter what illusions 
               of friendship and family we create, each 
               of us is always and forever profoundly 
               alone.
     
     INT.  TRACY'S BEDROOM     NIGHT
     
     FROM OVERHEAD - Tracy slides out of her bed and kneels beside it
     
                              TRACY
               Dear Lord Jesus, I do not often speak 
               with You and ask for things, but now I 
               really must insist that You help me win 
               the election tomorrow, because I deserve 
               it and Paul Metzier doesn't, as You well 
               know.  l realize that it was Your divine 
               hand that disqualified Tammy, and now 
               I'm asking that You go that one last 
               mile and make sure to put me in office 
               where I belong, so that I may carry out 
               Your will on Earth as it is in Heaven.  
               If elected I promise that I will pray 
               more often.  Okay?  Amen.
     
     EXT.  TAMMY'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT
     
     FROM OVERHEAD --
     
     Tammy wears a white t-shirt and underwear and kneels at her bedside.
     
                              TAMMY (VO)
               Dear God, I know I don't believe in 
               you, but since I'll be starting Catholic 
               school soon, I thought I should 
               practice.  Let's see... what do I want?  
               I want people to be nicer to each other.  
               I want Lisa to realize what a bitch she 
               has been and feel really bad and 
               apologize for how she hurt me and know 
               how much I still love her.  In spite of 
               everything, I still want Paul to win the 
               election tomorrow, not that cunt Tracy.  
               I also want a really expensive pair of 
               leather pants... and someday I want to 
               be really good friends with Madonna.  
               Love, Tammy
     
     INT. PAUL'S BEDROOM
     
     FROM OVERHEAD -- Paul lies in bed looking at the heavens beyond his 
     ceiling,
     
                              PAUL (VO)
               Dear God, thank You for all Your 
               blessings.  You have given me so many 
               things, like good health, nice parents, 
               a nice truck, and what I've been told is 
               a large penis, and I'm very grateful.  
               But I sure am worried about Tammy.  In 
               my heart I still can't believe she tore 
               down my posters, but sometimes she does 
               get so weird and angry.  Please help her 
               be a happier person, because she's so 
               smart and sensitive, and I love her.  
               Also, I'm nervous about the election 
               tomorrow, and I guess I want to win and 
               all, but I know that's totally up to 
               You.  You'll decide who the best person 
               is, and I'll accept it.  And forgive my 
               sins, whatever they may be.  Amen.
     
     FADE OUT
     
     INT. JIM'S CAR -- NIGHT
     
     JIM sits parked outside of Sherry's house, a SLURPEE held against his 
     now grotesquely swollen eye.  He is so tired and pain-ridden that he 
     practically gasps for breath.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               Sherry never came home that night.  I 
               know, because I spent the entire night 
               in her driveway.
     
     INT. TRACY'S KITCHEN -- DAWN 
     
     Tracy and her mom are hard at work frosting cupcakes.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               Mom and I got up at five AM, and 
               together we custom-iced three hundred 
               and fifty cupcakes.
     
     CLOSE ON A CUPCAKE - as "PICK FLICK" is written on it with a yellow 
     icing tube.
     
     MRS. Flick cheerfully performs her task. She hums.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
     
     I remember she was so happy, like there was nothing in the world she'd 
     rather be doing.  Besides me and her job, I guess my mom doesn't have 
     much of a life.  She hasn't dated anyone since Frank, and she hardly 
     ever buys new clothes for herself or travels.
     
                              TRACY
               Mom?
     
                              MRS. FLICK
               Hmmm?
     
                              TRACY
               I think I'm going to lose today
     
                              MRS. FLICK
               What are you talking about? This time 
               tomorrow, you'll be president
     
                              TRACY
               You really think so?
     
     Mrs. Flick puts an arm around her daughter
     
                              MRS. FLICK 
               Tracy Flick's a winner.
     
     EXT. SHERRY'S HOUSE     DAWN
     
     Jim's car has not moved from its spot on the driveway. Its windows are 
     now fogged. A LOUD GARBAGE TRUCK rumbles by.
     
     INT. JIM'S CAR -- CONTINUOUS
     
     Reclined in his car seat, mouth open as he sleeps, JIM is awakened by 
     the truck. His breath steams. His eye has turned bluish. He tries to 
     wipe the condensation from the windshield, but it's on the outside.
     
     EXT. SHERRY'S DRIVEWAY -- CONTINUOUS
     
     JIM opens the door and looks around -- no sign of Sherry's car. He 
     stiffly walks to the side of the garage and unzips his pants to pee.
     
     Now cradling his head on the roof of his car, JIM gathers what little 
     strength he has, gets in, and tries to start the cold engine.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               I had no choice but to go home. I 
               needed to shower, get fresh clothes, 
               explain what I could to Diane.  But what 
               was I going to say?  That our marriage 
               had become a charade?  That making love 
               with Sherry had given me a vision of a 
               better life?
     
     THE TAILPIPE finally coughs out a cloud of exhaust
     
     INT./EXT. JIM'S CAR     DAWN
     
     JIM drives, bleary-eyed.  He creeps along his tree-lined middle-class 
     block.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               Then again, maybe I could slip in and 
               out without waking her up.
     
     JIM slows to a stop, looks with dread at his home
     
     EXT.  JIM'S HOUSE     CONTINUOUS
     
     On the front porch sits A GYM BAG.  JIM approaches, stares numbly at 
     the bag.  Drawing a long breath, he bends over and picks it up.  
     Attached is a NOTE reading:   "Don't come in."
     
     EXT. MILLARD HIGH     DAWN
     
     At the foot of the main walk to the school, Tracy and her mother are 
     setting up a CARD TABLE covered with little pink cakes.
     
     Jim's Ford Escort chugs its way through the fog and comes to a stop.  
     Looking like a war refugee, JIM emerges from his car carrying the gym 
     bag and heads toward school.
     
                              TRACY
                         (chirping)
               Good morning, Mr. M.
     
     JIM stops, turns slowly, regards mother and daughter with a crazed, 
     one-eyed, uncomprehending stare.
     
                              TRACY (CONT'D) 
                         (holding one out)
               Looks like you could use a cupcake!
     
     JIM takes it wordlessly.  AS he heads up the walkway, he eats it in 
     two huge bites, like a feral animal.
     
                              TRACY (CONT'D) 
                         (calling out)
               What's wrong with your eye?  Are you 
               OK?
     
     INT. BOYS' LOCKER ROOM -- DAY
     
     IN THE SHOWERS JIM scrubs himself as if to wash his whole life away.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               Cupcakes.  Jesus Christ.  Cupcakes? My 
               life was crumbling, and I was expected 
               to care about these ungrateful kids and 
               their pathetic little dreams.  As if my 
               only purpose in life were to serve them.
     
                              JIM
                         (mocking)
               Mr. McAllister.  Mr. McAllister. 
               Somebody tore down my posters. It's not 
               fair.  It's not fair. Can I have an A?  
               Can I have a recommendation?  Can I?  
               Can I?
     
     AT THE MIRROR JIM adjusts his tie, tries to smooth his wrinkled shirt.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               Well, fuck them.  Didn't I have my own 
               life?  Didn't I have my own dreams?
     
     He coughs up phlegm and spits it into the sink
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               Cupcakes
     
     INT. MILLARD HALLWAY     DAY 
     
     JIM exits the BOYS' LOCKER ROOM door and bumps into Mr. Beckman.
     
                              MR. BECKMAN 
               Hey, Jim. Big day today
     
                              JIM
                         (putting on a 
                         smile)
               Oh, yeah. Big day.
     
     INT. SCHOOL OFFICE     DAY
     
     MISS BEEDER of the school office is at the P.A. MICROPHONE. Walt is 
     behind her.  She looks over her shoulder, and Walt gives her the go-
     ahead.
     
                              MISS BEEDER
               Attention, everyone.  We have an 
               important announcement from our 
               principal. Dr. Hendricks.
     
     Walt gives Miss Beeder a courtesy smile and takes the mike
     
                              WALT
               Good morning, students.  It, uh, 
               behooves me to inform you of an 
               important change in today's elections.  
               Effective this morning...
     
     INT.  TEACHERS'  OFFICES     DAY
     
     BALLOT AFTER BALLOT -- as a black magic marker crosses out Tammy's 
     name.
     
     JIM sits at his desk and carries out his absurd task.  He stops and 
     stares.  His thoughts wander far, far away.
     
                              WALT (OS CONT'D)
               . .. sophomore Tammy Metzier has 
               been... Metzier has been determined 
               ineligible - I repeat: ineligible -- for 
               SGA president.  You may not vote for 
               Tammy Metzier.  All other candidates are 
               eligible.  Now please pay attention to a 
               very important, uh, audio-visual 
               presentation.
                         (irritated, 
                         thinking he's off)
               Linda, who typed this thing?  I said I 
               need all caps....
     
     INT. TV AND MILLARD CLASSROOMS     DAY
     
     CLOSE ON A TV-- mounted in the corner.  An educational video is just 
     beginning.  Host CLARK NAYLOR sits on the edge of a desk in a generic 
     office set.
     
     During the video, we cut to CLASSROOMS, where from the TV's point of 
     view, we see the students watching:  English class shop class, gym 
     class, biology class.
     
                              CLARK (ON TV)
               Hello, students,  I'm Clark Naylor of 
               Joslyn's Educational Resources.  It's 
               election day, and how you vote will make 
               a big difference in the activities, 
               events, and perhaps even the policies of 
               your school.  Over the past few days or 
               weeks, you've heard candidates for the 
               various offices make their speeches and 
               tell you where they stand.  You've 
               probably seen their posters.  Maybe 
               you've even had a chance to speak with 
               them personally.
     
     CLOSE-UPS OF STUDENTS
     
     Now replace the wider shots of classrooms.  Photographed as though 
     from a Soviet propaganda film, some students look up nobly and 
     attentively, while others watch with dead eyes and open mouth, and 
     still others goof off.
     
                              CLARK (ON TV CONT'D) 
               Well, today marks the end of 
               campaigning, and now the spotlight turns 
               to you. Voting is your privilege and 
               your responsibility. Remember, no one 
               needs to know for whom you've voted.  
               That's between you. . . and you.
     
     An AFRICAN-AMERICAN TEENAGER walks up to Clark.
     
                              CLARK (ON TV CONT'D)
               Now I'd like to introduce you to Tony. 
               Tony's going to show you how to cast 
               your vote.  Are you ready, Tony?
     
                              TONY (ON TV) 
               I think s0
     
                              CLARK (ON TV) 
               Good.  Let's get started
     
     INT. MILLARD HALLWAY NEAR OF-PICE -- DAY
     
     JIM slinks down the hall and ducks into a PHONE BOOTH. He fishes 
     change out of his pocket and dials.   We hear the echo of the video 
     emanating from all the classrooms.
     
                              SHERRY'S VOICE (VO)
               Hi.  You've reached the Novotnys. We're 
               not around, but we'll call you back real 
               soon.  Have a nice day.
     
                              JIM 
               Are you there?  Sherry, are you there?  
               It's Jim. 
                         (suddenly angry)
               Why did you do that?  I trusted you. 
               Completely.  You've ruined my life. Do 
               you know that?  Do you realize that?  
               Huh?  Do you?  You've ruined Diane's 
               life.  You ruined my life.  is that what 
               you wanted? 
                         (recovering)
               I'm sorry.  It's just... I'm going nuts 
               here.  Okay, all right, so... Really, 
               I'm sorry.  I just think we should talk, 
               okay?  I love you.
     
     INT.  TEACHERS' OFFICES -- DAY 
     
     JIM crosses out more ballots, this time with perverse intensity.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               If only my own life could be corrected 
               so easily, with nice fat black lines 
               drawn neatly through my sins.
     
     CLOSE ON TAMMY'S NAME -
     
     as it is blackened.  We WIPE with the motion of the magic marker to:
     
     INT. LITTLE SALLY ANN SHOP    DAY
     
     SWISH!
     
     The curtain of the dressing room is drawn back, and there's Tammy. She 
     beams and walks toward --
     
     A THREE-PANEL MIRROR,
     
     where she takes herself in, dressed in her new Catholic schoolgirl 
     UNIFORM.
     
     The SALESLADY converses nearby with Jo Metzier.
     
                              SALESLADY
               And Sacred Heart is such a good school. 
               Excellent school. The public schools are 
               going downhill, as far as I'm concerned.
     
                              JO
               Well, we've had good luck at Millard, 
               but for this one it's time for a change.
     
     Tammy spins and admires the flip of the skirt.
     
                              SALESLADY
               So what do you think?  Sacred Heart has 
               the prettiest.  They have that nice hint 
               of purple.
     
                              TAMMY
                         (lying) 
               I hate it.
     
                              JO
               You're just going to have to get used 
               to it.
     
                              TAMMY
               Please, morn.  Please don't make me go 
               to Sacred Heart.  I beg you.
     
                              JO
                         (to saleslady)
               We'll take two.
     
     INT. MILLARD HIGH CAFETERIA    DAY
     
     Makeshift POLLING BOOTHS are set up just outside the cafeteria. Behind 
     two tables sit TWO TEACHERS who cross out voters' names on big master 
     computer lists. Tracy stands in line, not-so-patiently waiting her 
     turn.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               When the time came to cast our votes, I 
               stood in line just like everyone else.
     
     She finally reaches the front of the line.
     
                              TEACHER 
               Hi, Tracy
     
                              TRACY
               Tracy Enid Flick.
     
                              TEACHER 
               I know.
     
     Tracy goes into a VOTING BOOTH and quickly hands her ballot. sophomore 
     PHIL CHOY stands nearby with his CAMERA.
     
                              TRACY
               Phil you ready?
     
                              PHIL
               Ready.
     
     Tracy exits the booth and heads toward the BALLOT BOX.  She inserts 
     her ballot halfway and freezes, smiling.  Phil snaps a picture, but -
     
                              PHIL 
               Just a second.  My flash.
     
     Tracy remains perfectly still while Phil fiddles with his camera.  A 
     STUDENT stands behind her, waiting to put his ballot in the box.
     
                              STUDENT 
               Come on, Tracy.
     
                              TRACY
                         (through her smile) 
               Just wait.
     
     FLASH!  Phil gets his shot and Tracy drops her ballot in.
     
                              TRACY
               Thanks, Phil.
     
     On her way out Tracy passes Paul at the end of the line.  He gives her 
     an enthusiastic THUMBS UP.
     
                              PAUL
               Way to go, Tracy!  Isn't this exciting?
     
                              TRACY
                         (awkward) 
               Yeah.
     
                              PAUL
               Hell, good luck!
     
                              TRACY
                         (reluctant)
               Good luck to you too, Paul.
     
                              PAUL
               Thanks!
     
     INT. VOTING BOOTH Paul scans his ballot, struggles with his decision.
     
                              PAUL (VO)
               It's so weird.  DO people always just 
               vote for themselves?  'Cause looking at 
               my own name on the ballot, I just... I 
               don't know, I just felt like it's not 
               right to vote for yourself.
     
     THE BALLOT - as Paul's pen puts an "X" next to the name "Tracy Flick
     
     INT. MILLARD HALLWAYS     DAY
     
     THE BALLOT BOX is being carried through the halls and up some stairs 
     by Larry Fouch and three other STUDENT COUNCIL MEMBERS. The music 
     suggests the weighty importance of its contents and the sacred mission 
     of its bearers.
     
     INT. JIM'S CLASSROOM - DAY
     
     JIM is hunkered over his desk.  He's a wreck: dark, dark circles under 
     his eyes;  his hair didn't dry right -- frizzy here, matted there.  
     And he's near tears.
     
     Larry Fouch and his retinue enter cheerfully
     
                              LARRY
               Okay, Mr. M.
     
     Larry drops the ballot box on Jim's desk
     
                              JIM
               What?  Right.  So let's start counting.
     
                              LARRY
               Well, I thought that... well, the way 
               it always works is that SGA president 
               does a count, then the SGA advisor, you 
               know, for the two independent counts.
     
                              JIM
               Fine.  So do your count.  Start with 
               president, and I'll be right back.
     
                              LARRY
               You have the key, Mr. McAllister.
     
     JIM doesn't understand at first, then
     
                              JIM
               Right.  I know.
     
     JIM proceeds to sort through his cluttered desk drawers but can't seem 
     to find the key.  The council members exchange concerned looks as 
     Jim's search becomes frenzied.
     
                              LARRY 
               Are you okay, Mr. M.?
     
                              ANOTHER STUDENT 
               What happened to your eye?
     
                              JIM
               I'm fine.  It's just a bee sting, a 
               simple little everyday bee sting. Some 
               people, they get stung, it's no big 
               deal.  Me, I swell up.  Okay?
     
     JIM emerges from the drawer wielding a VISE GRIP.  He goes to the box 
     and TEARS the entire hardware assembly off.  Holding the mangled lock, 
     he turns to the students, who look back STUNNED.
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               I just want to get this over with, so 
               we can have the assembly and go home.  
               We don't have much time until eighth 
               period.  I have other things going on, 
               too, you know.
     
                              LARRY
               Okay.  Yeah.  We know
     
                              JIM
               All right.  I'll be back
     
     INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE SCHOOL OFFICE     DAY 
     
     JIM slinks up to a PAY PHONE, inserts a coin, dials
     
                              SHERRY'S VOICE 
                         (cheery)
               Hi.  You've reached the Novotnys. We're 
               not around, but we'll call you back real 
               soon.  Have a nice day.
     
     JIM it's me again.  I'm sorry for all the calls.  But Sherry, if I 
     could just hear your voice, if you'd only acknowledge that I...
     
                              SHERRY (OS) 
                         (picking up phone) 
               What do you want, Jim?
     
                              JIM
               You're there.
     
                              SHERRY (OS)
               Yeah.  I'm here.
     
                              JIM
               Sherry... I love you.
     
                              SHERRY (OS) 
                         (loud exhale)
               Don't say that.  You know it's not 
               true.
     
                              JIM
               It's the only true thing I know 
               anymore.
     
                              SHERRY (OS)
               We made a mistake.  Let's not make it 
               worse.
     
                              JIM
               A mistake?  That was no mistake.
     
                              SHERRY (OS) 
               I was lonely.  You took advantage
     
                              JIM
               Me?  I took advantage of you?  You 
               hugged me!  You kissed me!  You're the 
               one who --
     
     CLICK.
     
     INT. MILLARD HALLWAY -- DAY
     
     It's PASSING PERIOD, and the halls are jammed with students at their 
     lockers and walking to class.
     
     JIM is walking quickly back to his classroom. He passes Paul.
     
                              PAUL
               Hey, Mr. M. Big day, huh?
     
     Jim doesn't even hear.
     
     INT.  CLASSROOM     DAY
     
     Larry is  just finishing his count. The ballots are on a desk in front 
     of  him, neatly organized into three piles. JIM enters.
     
                              JIM
                         (impatient)
               What d'you got?
     
                              LARRY
               I'm not supposed to tell. Not until 
               you've counted too. We're each supposed 
               to make an independent count.
     
                              JIM
               You're kidding, right?
     
                              LARRY
               I thought those were the rules, Mr. 
               McAllister. If they've changed in any 
               way --
     
                              JIM
               Larry, we're not electing the fucking 
               Pope here. Just tell me who won.
     
     Jim's use of profanity scares Larry, and he responds reluctantly
     
                              LARRY
               It's a squeaker, Mr. M. I've got Tracy 
               by a vote. Just one vote.
     
     Jim, who hasn't cared about any of this today, suddenly takes note. He 
     stares blankly at Larry as the news sinks in.
     
                              LARRY (CONT'D)
               Mr. M.?
     
                              JIM
               Huh.  Okay.  Well, I guess I'd better 
               do my count.
     
     Jim-scoops up the three piles of ballots and takes them to his desk.
     
     INT. HISTORY CLASS     DAY
     
     CLOSE ON DALE -
     
     a junior honors student. He is thinking. The wheels are turning, 
     grinding. Finally --
     
                              DALE
               Sputnik.
     
     MR. FLAGG is lecturing, really trying to make history come alive.  
     Tracy takes notes, but she is noticeably distracted.
     
                              MR. FLAGG 
               Right.  And what year was that?
     
                              DALE
               1958?
     
                              MR. FLAGG
               Almost.  1957.  So the point here is 
               when we found out about Sputnik, we got 
               really scared.  It seemed like no matter 
               what we had and kept secret, they could 
               develop it too.  A-bombs, h-bombs, 
               rocket ships.  And this time we were 
               behind them.  So -- February 1961, 
               Kennedy tells Congress and the American 
               people he wants to go to the moon.  May 
               1961, the Apollo program is announced...
     
     Tracy just can't take it anymore.  She abruptly stands up, takes the 
     GIANT HALL PASS off the lip of the blackboard, and starts to leave.  
     Mr. Flagg gives her a small nod.
     
     INT.  RAILWAY     DAY
     
     Tracy nears a room, a special room.  She slows down and peeks in the 
     window of the door.  She sees --
     
     LARRY FOUCH  sitting at the back of the classroom, staring front.  
     Tracy presses her face to see what Larry is staring at --
     
     JIM at his desk counting ballots
     
     LARRY catches sight of Tracy in the window.
     
     TRACY crosses her fingers by her ears and gives a questioning look
     
     LARRY sneaks a guilty look at Jim, absorbed in his counting.  Then, 
     against his better judgment flashes Tracy a quick, furtive double 
     THUMBS-UP.
     
     TRACY suddenly disappears from the window.
     
     IN THE EMPTY HALLWAY - Tracy pogos with unbridled joy
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               You know that moment when they announce 
               the winner of a beauty pageant?  When 
               Miss Texas or whoever suddenly realizes 
               she's Miss America, and all she can do 
               is scream and weep and hug the losers?  
               I had my moment in the hallway that 
               Tuesday afternoon with no one to hug but 
               myself.
     
     She pulls herself together enough to peek through the window of the 
     OTHER DOOR to Jim's classroom, the window behind which JIM
     is still busily doing his count.
     
     INT. JIM'S CLASSROOM -- DAY
     
     JIM counts out the last of the ballots, mouthing the numbers to 
     himself.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               I was at the end of my count when it 
               happened.  I'd come up with exactly the 
               same numbers as Larry:  Tracy had won 
               the election by a single vote, 256 to 
               257.  I was about to announce my tally 
               when...  
     
     JIM looks up and sees
     
     TRACY in the window, her face exploding with joy.  She FREEZES.
     
     We move closer to Jim in SLOW-MOTION.  What actually occurs in a 
     split-second is suspended in time
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               The sight of Tracy at that moment 
               affected me in a way I can't fully 
               explain.  Part of it was that she was 
               spying, but mostly it was her face. 
               Looking at her, you might think she was 
               a sweet, innocent teenage girl. But she 
               wasn't sweet.  And she wasn't innocent. 
               She was selfish and cynical and 
               ambitious and thought nothing of 
               destroying the lives of others to get to 
               the top. who knew how high she would 
               climb in life, how many people would 
               suffer because of her? I had to stop her 
               now.
     
     Tracy UNFREEZES and darts out of sight. JIM glances at Larry. Larry is 
     writing in a notebook.
     
     JIM'S HAND
     
     creeps up from his lap and onto the pile of TRACY VOTES.  His fingers 
     nimbly count two ballots and pull them off the desk.
     
     JIM coughs as beneath his desk he CRUMPLES THE BALLOTS into a ball and 
     drops them into the wastepaper basket.
     
                              JIM
               Larry?
     
                              LARRY 
                         (looking up) 
               Yeah?
     
                              JIM
               I think we've got a problem.
     
     INT. WALT HENDRICKS'S OFFICE     DAY
     
     Walt is just finishing counting the ballots on his desk. Larry and JIM
     stand over him.
     
                              WALT
               253... 254... 255. I get the same as 
               you Jim. Looks like Paul's our 
               president.
     
                              LARRY
               No way I It doesn't make sense.
     
                              WALT
               Sorry. My figures work out exactly the 
               same as Jim's. 256 for Paul, 255 for 
               Tracy.
     
                              LARRY
               And 290 "disregards," right?
     
                              WALT 
               If you say so.
     
                              JIM
               Mostly Tammy fans
     
                              LARRY
               See, it doesn't add up. There are only 
               801 ballots but 803 people voted. Two 
               votes are missing. Check the register.
     
                              JIM
               He's right. Two people must have 
               pocketed their ballots. Usually it's 
               more.
     
                              LARRY
               But, they were there I counted 803 
               votes.
     
                              JIM
               It happens, Larry. People make 
               mistakes.
     
                              LARRY
               I didn't make a mistake. Every vote was 
               there when you sac down  
     
                              WALT
               Whoa! Easy, Fouch. I don't like where 
               you're going.
     
                              LARRY
               I'm telling you. Dr. Hendricks, every 
               vote was accounted for.
     
                              JIM
                         (stern)
               Larry? We've got twenty-five minutes 
               until the assembly, and we still have to 
               do counts for VP, Treasurer and 
               Secretary. Mr. Hendricks and I have both 
               verified the numbers, and unless you can 
               come up with the ballots you claim are 
               missing -
     
                              LARRY 
               But, Mr. M. -
     
                              WALT
               Fouch, that's enough! End of story.
     
     INT. MILLARD HIGH GYMNASIUM -- DAY
     
     AN ASSEMBLY - The students are taking their seats on the bleachers.
     
     ON THE FLOOR
     
     are all the candidates:  three for secretary, two for treasurer, one 
     for vice-president, two for president.
     
     PAUL AND TRACY sit side-by-side.  Paul seems a little overwhelmed by 
     the whole thing.  Tracy leans over and offers her hand.
     
                              TRACY
               Paul, I just want you to know that no 
               matter how this turns out, you've run a 
               wonderful campaign. It's been fun 
               competing with you.
     
                              PAUL
               Yeah, you too, Tracy.  I'm just glad 
               it's over.
     
                              TRACY
               Yeah. 
     
     CLOSE ON PAUL
     
                              PAUL (VO)
               You know, I don't understand why 
               everybody bad-mouthed Tracy all the 
               time.  She was always super- nice to me.
     
     JIM approaches the microphone
     
                              JIM
               If we could get started.  People! Once 
               the winners are announced, we can all go 
               home, okay?
     
     The students quiet down
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               Some contests are so well fought that 
               is seems unfair for someone to win and 
               someone to lose.  I think that's the 
               case with all the candidates you see 
               before you today.  All of them are 
               highly qualified and embody the, uh, the 
               integrity we expect from our school 
               leadership.
     
     OS TRACY - Jim's voice momentarily recedes.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               Act surprised. Walk slowly to the 
               podium.  Be modest.  Thank them for this 
               incredible honor.
     
                              JIM
               That said, the whole point of an 
               election is to choose winners, and that 
               you have done.  We'll begin with 
               president.
     
     JIM pulls a folded paper from his back pocket
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               Let me add that this was an 
               extraordinarily close race. It's my 
               pleasure to announce the next president 
               of Millard High School.
     
     Tracy just can't wait.  Smiling, she STANDS UP.
     
                              JIM
               Paul Metzier!
     
     The crowd breaks into applause -- and laughter
     
     ON TRACY - AS she sits, her smile belies her horror and humiliation
     
     Paul begins his acceptance speech.  We cut alternately to a thrilled 
     Lisa; a stunned Tracy, tears forming at the corners of her eyes; and 
     to JIM, who watches the events with shifty eyes, his mouth dry and 
     tasting of metal.
     
                              PAUL
               Geez, you guys, thanks a lot.  I mean, 
               wow, thanks.  I promise to do my best 
               and really do a good job and be a good 
               president.  And I want to thank Lisa 
               Flanagan for being a super campaign 
               manager. And I just want to say that I 
               think Tracy would have made a great 
               president too and that she really 
               deserves a big hand.
     
     The auditorium erupts into applause and whistles, and JIM takes the 
     microphone again.
     
                              JIM
               And now, for vice-president.
     
     EXT. COCO'S BAKERY/RESTAURANT DUSK
     
     In the growing darkness, the restaurant radiates its distinctive 
     orange glow. The parking lot is nearly empty.
     
     INT. COCO'S BAKERY/RESTAURANT DUSK
     
     JIM sits alone at a booth by the window, finishing    a slice of berry 
     pie. He gets the attention of a WAITRESS and holds up his coffee cup.
     
                              JIM
               Could I get a...?
     
     As JIM gets his warm-up, in walk the Metziers: Paul,  Dick and Jo. JIM 
     notices them as they wait to be seated. He    wishes he were 
     invisible.
     
     As a PERKY HOSTESS leads the family to a table, Paul  spots Jim. Here 
     it comes.
     
                              PAUL
               Wow! Mr. McAllister! This is so wild. 
               We came to celebrate my victory, and I 
               can't believe it. Here, these are my 
               parents.
     
     JIM stands up awkwardly.
     
                              DICK METZLER 
                         (extending his 
                         hand) 
               Hi. Dick Metzier. My wife --
     
                              PAUL
               This is great.
     
                              JIM
                         (extending his 
                         hand)
               JIM McAllister.
     
                              JO METZLER
                         (extending her 
                         hand)
               JO Metzier. You know, Paul just thinks 
               the world of you. Oh, if you could just 
               hear him...
     
                              DICK
               Yeah, say, apparently you've really 
               come behind him, really helped him out 
               there with the student council thing and 
               all.
     
                              PAUL
               I never would have ran if it wasn't for 
               Mr. M.
     
                              JIM
               Paul doesn't need any of my help. He's 
               going places.  You should be very proud.
     
                              JO
               We are
     
                              DICK
               Having a problem with your eye there?
     
                              JO
               Dick.
     
                              JIM
               Just a bee sting.
     
                              DICK
               You ought to get that looked at. Shot 
               of cortisone or something.
     
                              JIM
               Thanks, I'll be fine.
     
                              DICK
               Anyway, we're awful sorry about what 
               went on with our other one, you know, 
               our Tammy.
     
                              JO 
               We were mortified...
     
                              JIM
               Oh, she's not a bad girl.  She'll come 
               around.
     
                              JO
               ... but we've had some good talks, and 
               I think we're sorting things out.  We're 
               starting her at Sacred Heart in the 
               fall.
     
                              JIM
               Good school.
     
                              DICK
               Say, you're all alone,  why don't you 
               join us?
     
                              PAUL
               Yeah!
     
                              JIM
               Oh, no.  No.  I'm just finishing up 
               here, and I've got to get home.
     
                              PAUL
                         (to his parents)
               Why don't you guys go sit down, okay?  
               I'll catch up in a minute? I want to 
               talk to Mr. M. about some important 
               stuff.
     
                              DICK
               All right.  Well, sure nice to meet 
               you.
     
                              JO
               So nice
     
                              JIM
               You bet.
     
     The Metziers go, and- Paul slides in across from Jim.
     
                              PAUL
               So, Mr. M,  I was starting to think 
               about ideas for next year. I was 
               thinking it would be cool to have, like 
               a carnival.  With rides.  And, you know, 
               it could be for, like. Muscular 
               Dystrophy.
     
     JIM tries to smile and seem attentive, but we sense his profound 
     fatigue and his profound sadness.
     
                              PAUL (CONT'D)
               And on Halloween we could have a 
               haunted house.  But a really good 
               haunted house, not like those cheesy bad 
               ones.  You know, more like the radio 
               station ones.  This one would be really 
               scary.  And for Homecoming -- well, you 
               know how last year's theme was -
     
                              JIM
               Paul... Paul.... We'll have plenty of 
               time to get into all this later.  A 
               whole year, in fact. Right now I just 
               need to finish my pie and get home.
     
                              PAUL
               Oh, okay.  Yeah, sorry.
     
     The wind out of his sails, Paul gets up and is about to go when
     
                              PAUL (CONT'D)
               Just one more thing.  So, Mr. M., uh, 
               do you think Tracy's going to be okay?  
               I saw her face after the assembly, and I 
               think she's taking it pretty hard.
     
                              JIM
               Don't worry about Tracy.  She'll be 
               fine.
     
     INT. TRACY'S BEDROOM     NIGHT
     
     CLOSE ON TRACY -
     
     her face drained and pallid, her eyes red and bleary: she is exhausted 
     from crying.
     
                              TRACY
               One vote... one vote
     
     She falls again headlong again into the throes of despair. Her mouth 
     contorts into a rictus of agony, and there issues an almost feral cry 
     of pain. Her anguish grows convulsive.
     
     Barbara Flick comes in and sits on the bed. She's carrying a 
     PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE and a glass of milk.
     
                              BARBARA
               Why don't you take a couple of my 
               pills, darling? You'll feel better.
     
     Tracy takes the pills and sips the milk weakly. Her mother kisses her.
     
                              BARBARA (CONT'D) 
               Don ' t worry. .. don ' t worry. . . 
               sshhhhh... that's it, baby... that's it, 
               darling. Everything's going to be fine.
     
     She lays Tracy on the bed, and Tracy begins to quiet. Barbara kisses 
     her again and rises to leave. At  the door she pauses to add a few 
     final words of comfort.
     
                              BARBARA (CONT'D)
               Maybe you needed more posters, honey. 
               Or if you'd taken my suggestions about 
               your speech. I don't know. We'll figure 
               it out.
     
     EXT.  MCAILISTER  HOME      NIGHT
     
     JIM stands at his own back door, beaten and ashamed.  He lifts a hand 
     and knocks.  After a moment the door opens, and there is Diane.
     
                              JIM
               Diane, I...
     
     Diane looks at JIM in silence.  Her face reveals nothing, but there is 
     a deadness in her eyes.  After a moment, she turns back inside, 
     leaving the door open.
     
     JIM follows his wife inside, closes the door.  The camera moves to 
     peek in the kitchen window, from where we watch JIM and Diane but 
     cannot make out anything they say.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               I don't know how Diane and I made it 
               through that night, but we did.  Our 
               marriage had gone right to the brink, 
               but in the end I guess it was saved by 
               one simple fact: we truly loved each 
               other.  So we made a commitment to begin 
               the painful process of piecing our lives 
               back together.  The worst was over; the 
               mistakes of the past were behind us.
     
     INT. MILLARD HIGH     JIM'S CLASSROOM -- NIGHT
     
     A WASTE BASKET peeks out from under Jim's desk.
     
     We hear a distinctive rhythmic squeak, and a shadowy head appears in 
     the window.  Keys jingle.  The door opens, and Lowell turns on the 
     lights.  He approaches the waste basket and slides it out.
     
     EXT. MILLARD HIGH TRACK     DAY
     
     FROM OVERHEAD - JIM circles the track.
     
     ON THE GROUND -- JIM does pushups. Then sit-ups.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               The next day held the promise of a new 
               beginning. After all, what harm had 
               really been done? No one was dead.
     
     INT. MILLARD OFFICE     DAY
     
     Now all clean and refreshed and whistling a merry tune, JIM pops in to 
     check his box, giving a wave to Miss Seeder.
     
                              JIM
               Hi, Linda.
     
     JIM continues to whistle as he looks through his mail.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               Life would go on, and I would certainly 
               be a stronger and wiser person from the 
               experience.
     
                              MISS BEEDER 
               Uh, Jim?
     
                              JIM
               Hmm?
     
                              MISS BEEDER 
               Walt needs to see you.
     
                              JIM
               Oh.  Okay.
     
     Still absorbed in his papers, JIM heads over to Walt's door.
     
     INT. WALT'S OFFICE     CONTINUOUS
     
                              JIM
               You rang?
     
     JIM stops cold. Walt is not alone. Barbara Flick and a bleary-eyed 
     Tracy are there. So are Larry Fouch, Ron Bell, and Lowell the janitor. 
     Prominently displayed on Walt's desk are TWO CRINKLED BALLOTS. JIM 
     takes an eternal few seconds to absorb what is happening.
     
                              WALT
               Mr. McAllister, I hope you can help us 
               clear something up.
     
                              BARBARA
               Look at his face!  He knows he's been 
               caught. Look at his face!
                         (to Jim)
               Your ass is grass, Mister!
     
                              LARRY
               You said I was a liar   You're the 
               liar, you're the --
     
                              WALT 
               Larry, you just take it easy
     
     All turn and stare at Jim. Come to think of it, he does look awfully 
     guilty.
     
     INT. SPANISH CLASS-- DAY
     
     MS. HOY leads the class in recitation. Paul responds along with his 
     companeros.
     
                              MS. HOY
               Yo --
     
                              CLASS 
               pierdo.
     
                              MS. HOY
               Tu
     
                              CLASS 
               pierdes.
     
                              MS. HOY 
               El/ella -
     
                              CLASS 
               pierde.
     
     A STUDENT AIDE enters the classroom and hands a note to the teacher, 
     who upon reading the note looks up at Paul
     
                              MS. HOY 
               Senor presidente?
     
     The class laughs fondly.  Paul looks around, beaming with 
     embarrassment and pride.
     
                              MS. HOY (CONT'D) 
               Quieren verte en la oficina.
     
                              PAUL
               Huh?
     
     INT. MILLARD HALLWAY     DAY
     
     Paul walks down the hall, a bounce in his step on this fine spring 
     morning.
     
                              PAUL
               Senor presidente. Yo soy senor 
               presidente... El grande presidente...
     
                              PAUL (VO)
               I don't know why, but finding out there 
               was a mistake and I hadn't won the 
               election after all didn't bother me that 
               much. Winning had seemed kind of unreal 
               anyway. I guess I should have voted for 
               myself. Oh, well.
     
     Paul reaches the --
     
     INT. SCHOOL OFFICE     CONTINUOUS and enters Walt's office. Everyone 
     is there
     
                              WALT 
                         (standing up)
               Take a seat, son. We've got something 
               hard to tell you.
     
                              PAUL
               Is Tammy okay?
     
                              WALT
               She's okay. It's about the election.
     
     Walt closes the door in our faces. We hold on the door.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               After Paul got the bad news, Walt asked 
               for a few minutes alone with me. It was 
               very simple, really. I offered my 
               resignation, and he accepted. Very 
               quietly, it was all over for JIM 
               McAllister at Millard High - twelve 
               years of hard work down the drain.
     
     The door opens revealing that only wait and JIM remain. The office 
     staff is hushed as JIM the Zombie Cyclops emerges into the office and 
     walks somberly toward Miss Boeder. His voice quavers at half-volume.
     
                              JIM
               Walt will be speaking with you about 
               this, but I need you to find someone to 
               take over my classes. The lesson plans 
               for the rest of the year are in my top 
               right drawer.
     
                              MISS BEEDER 
               Okay, Jim. I understand.
     
                              JIM
               Thanks. Well. I'm going home now.
     
     EXT. HILLARD HIGH (REAR PROJECTIOH) -- DAY
     
     As JIM moves toward the parking lot, the school recedes in an odd REAR 
     PROJECTION that suggests he is floating. The MUSIC here reinforces the 
     gravity of the moment, the inevitability of his fate.
     
     JIM stops walking, and a disembodied STEEPING WHEEL floats into his 
     hands. The scene behind changes to:
     
     INT./EXT. JIM'S CAR REAR PROJECTION - DAY
     
     The city passing by outside is another strange REAR PROJECTION. JIM 
     grips the floating steering wheel and makes turns wildly out-of-sync 
     with the background.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               I don't remember driving home, or much 
               of anything that happened in the next 
               few days.
     
     JIM lets go of the steering wheel, and it drifts away. JIM turns his 
     back to camera to face -
     
     INT. MCALLISTER HOUSE (REAR PROJECTIOH) -- DAY
     
     JIM drifts toward his house, and it absorbs him through the front 
     door.
     
     INT. MCALLISTER LIVING ROOM - DAY
     
     We're no longer in rear-projection land: reality has caught up with 
     Jim. As he walks across the room, he strips off his shirt, shoes, 
     socks, and finally pants. Left only in his underwear, he walks through 
     the house and out into the -
     
     EXT. MCALLISTER BACKYARD     DAY and flops down in the grass, facing 
     the sky.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               There were news stories in the paper 
               and on television, former students 
               calling with their support, endless 
               hours of doing nothing, thinking 
               nothing.
     
     A shadow falls over Jim's face, and a hand offers him a glass of iced 
     tea. Grateful, JIM takes it, and looks up at -
     
     DIANE, her head blocking the sun.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               Diane stood by me through the entire 
               humiliating ordeal, in a way, it sort of 
               evened things out between us.
     
     Diane leaves. JIM looks up at the sky.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               Soon school was over, and summer 
               stretched out in front of me as it 
               always had. Funny how the rhythm of the 
               school year remains ingrained in you for 
               life. in mid-June we found out Diane was 
               pregnant.
     
     FADE OUT
     
     UNDER BLACK we hear the opening bars of a bouncy TIJUANA BRASS SONG.
     
     EXT. METZLER CEMENT PLANT NIGHT
     
     PAUL IS DANCING,
     
     twisting to the music at a PARTY, a giant grin on his  face, a big 
     sombrero with tassels on his head. Behind him  we can see an enormous 
     illuminated GRAVEL CONVEYOR. SUPER-IMPOSED:  "ONE YEAR LATER."
     
                              PAUL (VO)
               Senior year was great I Sure, I didn't 
               get to play ball or be president, but I 
               got elected homecoming king and prom 
               king anyway. I got into Nebraska like I 
               wanted and early-rushed Phi Delts. At 
               the end of the year me and my buddies 
               threw a hitching Mexican party down at 
               the cement plant. Shit, that was a good 
               party. That was a good party!
     
     LATER --
     
     Paul is at a KEG, pumping it up and serving himself  a beer. He takes 
     a sip, seems to grow pensive.
     
                              PAUL (VO CONT'D)
               The only really bad thing about senior 
               year was Lisa. Right before Christmas 
               she dumped me. One minute she's totally 
               in love with me and then boom she's 
               going out with my football buddy Randy.
     
     Paul looks over at
     
     LISA dancing suggestively with RANDY
     
     Paul looks sad, takes another gulp, waves at unseen  friends.
     
                              PAUL (VO CONT'D)
               Sometimes I wonder what would've 
               happened if I'd actually won the 
               election.  Maybe my whole life would be 
               different.  Like I might never have gone 
               to Yosemite with Greg and Travis.
     
     Paul takes a BIG GULP and looks into camera.
     
                              PAUL (VO CONT'D)
               Or maybe I'd be dead.
     
     FADE OUT
     
     UNDER BLACK we hear a distinctive AIRY HISS.
     
     INT. SACRED HEART BATHROOM     DAY 
     
     Tammy takes a big toke off a JOINT.
     
                              TAMMY (VO)
               Catholic school was great!
     
     Tammy and JENNIFER, a Sacred Heart schoolmate, are jammed into a 
     bathroom stall.
     
                              TAMMY (VO CONT'D)
               I mean, the teachers kind of sucked, 
               and they were supposedly way more 
               strict, but you could get away with 
               murder.
     
     Tammy hands off the doob to Jennifer, who takes a huge hit.
     
                              TAMMY (VO CONT'D)
               The best thing about Sacred Heart was 
               meeting Jennifer.
     
     Jennifer looks at Tammy.  Tammy looks at Jennifer
     
     JENNIFER MONTAGE -
     
     accompanied by the early '70's song, "Jennifer." SUPER-8 style 
     glimpses of Tammy and Jennifer in the Sacred Heart hallways, Jennifer 
     in the park, Jennifer dancing in Tammy's room, and finally, Jennifer 
     SWINGING.
     
                              TAMMY (VO CONT'D)
               All those feelings I had for Lisa were 
               just preparing me for the real thing.  
               Jennifer and I are soul mates, and we're 
               never, ever, ever going to be apart.
     
     FADE OUT
     
     UNDER BLACK
     
     we hear the MURMUR of a small crowd, interrupted by the BANG, BANG, 
     BANG of a GAVEL.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               Senior year was very productive for me 
               and full of personal achievement.
     
     INT. STUDENT COUNCIL OFFICE     DAY
     
     Tracy officiates a MEETING.  Next to her at the head table is Jerry 
     Raynor and other council members.
     
                              TRACY
               Order.  Order.  Order I  Can we vote on 
               this?  Those in favor.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               On top of a very successful student 
               council year, I got into Cornell like I 
               wanted, with scholarships, and I was in 
               the top 7th percentile of my graduating 
               class.
     
     TRACY Approved
     
     EXT.    PARK DAY
     
     Tracy walks along the edge of a pond on this overcast day, Her arms 
     are crossed, and she wears an oversized woolen sweater.  Wind blows 
     softly through her hair.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               But sometimes I got lonely, and I'd 
               think about Dave.  I missed our talks.  
               Maybe it could have worked out between 
               us.  I don't know.
     
     INT. REAL VALU HARDWARE     DAY
     
     Wearing the red vest and "Ask me" button of a Real Valu foot soldier, 
     Dave stands above a case of SPRAY PAINT. He is stamping prices on 
     every cap.
     
                              TRACY (VO CONT'D)
               I wonder what he's doing now. Maybe he 
               finally finished his novel
     
     INT. MILLARD CAFETERIA - DAY
     
     It's ANNUAL distribution time, and crowd of excited students are lined 
     up to get their precious book of memories. Many have already received 
     theirs and are crowded around dining tables, gleefully exchanging bans 
     mots.
     
     Tracy takes her annual and quickly opens it to the INDEX.
     
     CLOSE ON TRACT'S NAME - followed by a whopping list of page references
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               When the yearbooks came out, I was on 
               almost every page.
     
     EXT. MILLARD PARKING LOT - DAY 
     
     Tracy walks outside hugging her yearbook and sees
     
     PAUL AT HIS TRUCK, surrounded by supplicants.
     
     Tracy stops for a moment and watches.  She gathers her courage and 
     heads toward him.  Paul doesn't even notice her, so occupied is he 
     with his friends and admirers.
     
                              TRACY
               Paul, will you sign my yearbook?
     
                              PAUL
               Sure, Tracy.
     
     Paul takes the book, efficiently finds the page with his picture, and 
     goes to work.
     
                              TRACY
               Can I sign yours too?
     
                              PAUL
               Oh, yeah, sure. 
                         (to a friend)
               Hey Nolan, give my book to Tracy when 
               you're done*
     
     Nolan finishes and hands the book over.  Tracy turns to the front 
     pages and finds them completely filled, as are the end pages.  Now she 
     looks for her picture.  When she finds it, it's almost completely 
     obscured by part of some ASSWIPE 'S long, illegible, exclamation 
     point-filled message.  Finally, she locates an available space and 
     begins to write.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               I thought very carefully about what to 
               write.  Because despite everything that 
               had happened with the election, I really 
               wished him well.  I even signed it...
     
     CLOSE ON - Tracy writing: "Love, Tracy" beneath her inscription
     
     Tracy takes Paul's book back to him.  He's already working on another 
     annual and barely looks up when he swaps with her.
     
                              PAUL
               Thanks, Tracy.
     
     Tracy starts to walk away and Paul stops her
     
                              PAUL (CONT'D)
               Hey, Tracy I..
     
     She turns around expectantly
     
                              TRACY
               Yes, Paul?
     
                              PAUL
               Have a great summer.  And good luck at 
               college.
     
                              TRACY
                         (genuinely moved)
               Thanks.  You too.  It was great working 
               with you.
     
     Tracy opens the book as she walks and stops when she finds
     
     AN ALMOST BLANK PAGE with Paul's puny inscription at the bottom:
     
     Have a great Summer!  Good luck at college   Paul Metzier'
     
     INT.  TRACY'S ROOM     DAY
     
     Tracy looks at herself in a mirror, as though dispassionately 
     assessing her own face.  Then she begins to put on lipstick.
     
                              TRACY (VO)
               After graduation, I don't know.  ; 
               somehow felt empty inside.  I guess high 
               school just seemed so meaningless now 
               and I couldn't wait to get out of Omaha.  
               Next year I was going to make all new 
               friends.  Smarter, more ambitious 
               friends.  It was time to move on. There 
               was nothing left for roe here.  I just 
               had one more thing to take care of.
     
     FADE OUT
     
     UNDER BLACK comes the sound of a BUSY COMMERCIAL STREET.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               After two months of sitting on my ass 
               and two months helping out at my 
               brother-in-law's travel agency...
     
     EXT. GRIFFITH SATURN     DAY
     
     A standard-issue car dealership: banner-draped lot, glass enclosed 
     showroom.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               ...I landed a position at a Saturn 
               dealership.
     
     INT. GRIFFITH SATURN     DAY 
     
     All those cars and that new-car SMELL
     
     IN HIS CUBICLE JIM is typing at his desk across from a 55-ish MALE 
     CUSTOMER.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               I never thought I'd end up selling 
               cars, but it's not so bad. I like the 
               Saturn philosophy -- it really is a 
               different kind of company.
     
     A FRAMED SNAPSHOT on Jim's desk shows Diane and him with the LITTLE 
     ONE.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               I'm just relieved to have a steady 
               income now that there are three of us.
     
     INT./EXT. GRIFFITH SATURN      DAY     QUICK MONTAGE
     
     OUTSIDE ON THE LOT JIM saunters toward a client reading stickers.
     
     INSIDE THE DEALERSHIP JIM explains features of a CROSS-SECTIONED 
     SATURN
     
     THE CLIENT IS IN A DRIVER'S SEAT while JIM leans in from the opposite 
     window, pointing out dashboard features.
     
                              JIM (VO)
               Actually, it wasn't so difficult making 
               the transition from teaching to selling.  
               It's like I tell my customers: my role 
               is just to educate people so they can 
               make informed decisions.
     
     THE GLASS DOORS TO THE SHOWROOM OPEN, and JIM watches a satisfied 
     customer drive slowly away in a new Saturn Twin Cam.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               When I send someone home with a new 
               unit, I feel a genuine sense of pride.
     
     INT. GRIFFITH SATURN EMPLOYEE BREAK ROOM     DAY
     
     The room consists of mismatched sofas and chairs around a coffee 
     table.  There's a TV that no one watches.
     
     Sleeves rolled up and tie loosened, JIM eats a sandwich next to TWO 
     OTHER SALESMEN and a FEMALE ACCOUNTANT who like him are eating lunch 
     and watching TV.  NO one speaks.
     
                              JIM (VO CONT'D)
               So that's about it.  Maybe I'll get 
               back to teaching someday, but for the 
               time being, I guess I'm pretty happy 
               where I'm at.
     
     A SALESMAN pokes his head in the door.
     
                              SALESMAN 
                         (to Jim)
               Hey, Professor.  There's a young gal 
               out here asking for you.
     
                              JIM
               Oh
     
     JIM chews quicker and wipes his mouth as he stands up, straightens his 
     tie.
     
                              SALESMAN
                         (low, as JIM 
                         passes)
               She's a real hot tamale.
     
     INT. SHOWROOM     DAY
     
     JIM walks among the shiny new cars and sees the back of an attractive 
     young woman in a red dress and heels.  She turns around: it's Tracy.  
     JIM is truly surprised.
     
                              TRACY
               Hello, Mr. M.
     
                              JIM
               Hello, Tracy.
     
     JIM waits for Tracy to lead the way, but she doesn't
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               So what brings you here?
     
                              TRACY
               I'm looking at new cars.
     
                              JIM
               Oh.  New cars.  I see.  Well, you came 
               to the right place
     
                              TRACY
               My mother's buying me a new car for 
               college.
     
                              JIM
               Huh.  Right.  College.  Wow.  Where are 
               you going?  Where 'd you get into?
     
                              TRACY
               Well, I got in everywhere I applied, 
               but Cornell is my first choice.
     
                              JIM
               Good for you.  Good for you
     
     An uncomfortable pause.  JIM shifts gears.
     
                              JIM (CONT'D)
               So, are you looking for something 
               sporty or more practical?
     
                              TRACY
               Sporty.
     
     INT./EXT. THE SPORTY SATURN -- DAY
     
     A test drive. JIM is in the passenger seat. Tracy nears the end of the 
     dealership's driveway.
     
                              TRACY
               Where to?
     
                              JIM
               Anywhere you want.
                         (checks his watch)
               Just so long as we're not gone more 
               than a half-hour.
     
     Tracy turns right.  They drive a moment in silence.
     
                              JIM
               Handles pretty good, don't you think?
     
                              TRACY
               Yeah.
     
                              JIM
               Plenty of pep, too.
     
                              TRACY
               Uh-huh.
     
                              JIM
               And this model comes with ABS and dual 
               air bags standard.
     
                              TRACY
               That sounds good.
     
     A silence
     
                              JIM
               So Tracy?
     
                              TRACY
               Yes?
     
                              JIM
               Why are you doing this?
     
                              TRACY
               Doing what?
     
                              JIM
               Coming to see me.  Are you trying to. . 
                humiliate me?
     
                              TRACY
               Nooo.  I just thought...  l mean, I am 
               looking for a new car.  But I just 
               thought, well, I'm going away soon, and 
               you'll be stuck here and, I don't know, 
               I just think maybe if things had been 
               different we might have been, well, 
               friends. Real friends.  And then things 
               would be different.  Don't you think?
     
     JIM just looks at Tracy - it's so very odd
     
                              JIM
               Well, I... I... that's very nice of 
               you.
     
                              TRACY
                         (excited) 
               I've got an idea.
     
     Tracy suddenly signals and takes a right.
     
     EXT. OMAHA STREET -- DAY 
     
     Tracy and JIM and the Saturn zoom by.
     
     INT./EXT. SATURN -- DAY
     
     Tracy takes a corner and pulls to a stop in front of a modest middle 
     class house.
     
                              JIM
               What's this?
     
                              TRACY
               My house.
     
     Tracy sets the parking brake.  Jim's eyes register a suppressed panic.
     
                              JIM
               I don't understand.  What's the deal?
     
     Tracy looks deeply into Jim's eyes.
     
                              TRACY
               I want you to do something for me.
     
                              JIM
               Swallows, unsure what heaven or hell 
               awaits him.
     
                              TRACY
                         (getting out)
               I just have to get something. I'll be 
               right back.
     
     Tracy heads toward the house. JIM sits and waits.  He scans Tracy's 
     house, notices the chipped and peeling paint,  the rusting lawn 
     furniture, the bowed porch steps.
     
     NOW TRACY opens the door and gets in. She carries her YEARBOOK  and 
     gives it to Jim.
     
                              JIM
               Oh, is this...? 
                         (thumbing through 
                         it)
               God. First one of these I haven't been 
               in for a long time.
     
                              TRACY
               Would you sign it for me?
     
     Tracy reaches over the parking brake and flips the yearbook to the 
     blank pages at the beginning.
     
                              JIM
               What a surprise.
     
                              TRACY
               Take as much room as you want
     
     JIM removes a pen from his breast pocket and uncaps  it. He considers 
     what to write.
     
                              TRACY (CONT'D)
               I'm scared, Mr. M. I kind of don't feel 
               ready for college.
     
                              JIM
               You'll be fine.
     
                              TRACY
               I hope so
     
                              JIM
               You will.
     
     CLOSE ON JIM
     
     He looks at the yearbook. He looks at Tracy. He looks out the 
     windshield. It's all so odd.
     
     CLOSE ON THE BLANK PAGE JIM begins to write:
     
     "Dear Tracy,"